From bbc74a9614983cbeadbcb60a9c7cc815c9fbfd95 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: voidarc <admin@voidarc.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:25:19 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] added README

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+# The Void
+*An opinionated dendritic nix configuration*
+
+## The Concept
+
+I have been trying to get consistent, across device experiences from the second that I
+started using linux. I tried my best with arch, but I foolishly believed that just remembering
+what packages I installed would be enough. Then I started managing my dotfiles with GNU stow,
+but that only allowed for a single host per repo. I moved over to doot, and simultaneously nixos.
+
+I believed a dotfiles manager was my endgame. The final evolution, but it was far from ideal. I had to
+manage a mess of dotfiles, submodules and nix packages that were completely uncoupled from the apps that
+used them. Hyprland just assumed that I had all of my apps installed, assumed that otter-launcher's
+config existed. Just by forgetting an app or a toml file, I had the potential to brick my entire setup.
+
+This is no longer the case.
+
+The solution is similar to that of safely typed languages, like rust. Rust, instead of having optional parameters
+like typescript, requires that a variable be passed to a function, regardless of whether it contains anything.
+This leads to what is essentially a fixed dependancy tree, where there are no points of failiure, only allowing
+for logic errors and such. The same methodology can be applied to nix, using flake parts and wrapper scripts.
+
+Instead of defining the packages beside the app, and its config, you can use the config to define the required binaries.
+By wrapping a config that contains a nix variable, ie a binary, that binary is intrinsically linked to that config,
+and will therefore always be installed. No more dependancy issues, and because the configs are defined within nix too, no
+more potential for missing config files. Dotfile managers are no more, long live dotfile managers. Any app with a `--config`
+flag can now be fully versioned and self contained within one repo, config and all, accessible on any machine with nix.
+
+One command for a truly reproducible, fully contained, configured system. This is the endgame.
+
+## Usage
+
+Usage is similar to any other flake, with everything in the module directory being an output.
+
+The folder structure is simply defined:
+```
+modules/
+|- features/ - all available apps, every subfolder contains a seperate wrapped binary
+|- attrs/ - attributes composed of other modules, no new features defined
+|- system/ - basic system modules, no binaries. Should not be run standalone. (Think network and audio config)
+|- hosts/ - available presets for machines. Output names match subfolder names, eg #HACKSTATION, and hostnames
+```
+
+### Nixos Configurations
+
+Due to the host module referencing `/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix`, so that it is seperated from the repo,
+all rebuild commands will need `--impure`, unless you copy your configuration into the repo.
+
+HACKSTATION is the heavier system, mobile02 is minimal and has no specialist hyprland config.
+
+It is recommended to clone the repo beforehand, but the system can be built directly from remote
+```bash
+# Local Clone, . is the directory containing flake.nix
+sudo nixos-rebuild switch --impure --flake .
+
+# Build from remote
+sudo nixos-rebuild switch --impure --flake "git+https://git.voidarc.co.uk/voidarc/nixos.git?ref=dendritic"
+```
+Both of these commands can be appended with a desired hostname in order to build that configuration.
+```bash
+# Example of building mobile02 from a local repo
+sudo nixos-rebuild switch --impure --flake .#mobile02
+```
+There is no default output, so if the current hostname doesn't match a host, you will get an error.
+Building this config should be non destructive to any existing dotfiles, but will remove all users (not home directories)
+from the system other than `user01`, who's default password is `qwer`.
+
+### Binaries
+
+Any binary can be run with the same base command (will change when merged to main)
+```bash
+nix run "git+https://git.voidarc.co.uk/voidarc/nixos.git?ref=dendritic#appname"
+```
+`Appname` can be substituted for the name of any folder in the `modules/features` dir, ie `kitty` or `otter-launcher`