guix.texi

@item
The file name of a build script in the store, along with the arguments
to be passed.

@item
A list of environment variables to be defined.

@end itemize

@cindex derivation path
Derivations allow clients of the daemon to communicate build actions to
the store.  They exist in two forms: as an in-memory representation,
both on the client- and daemon-side, and as files in the store whose
name end in @code{.drv}---these files are referred to as @dfn{derivation
paths}.  Derivations paths can be passed to the @code{build-derivations}
procedure to perform the build actions they prescribe (@pxref{The
Store}).

The @code{(guix derivations)} module provides a representation of
derivations as Scheme objects, along with procedures to create and
otherwise manipulate derivations.  The lowest-level primitive to create
a derivation is the @code{derivation} procedure:

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} derivation @var{store} @var{name} @var{system} @var{builder} @var{args} @var{env-vars} @var{inputs} [#:outputs '("out")] [#:hash #f] [#:hash-algo #f] [#:hash-mode #f]
Build a derivation with the given arguments.  Return the resulting store
path and @code{<derivation>} object.

When @var{hash}, @var{hash-algo}, and @var{hash-mode} are given, a
@dfn{fixed-output derivation} is created---i.e., one whose result is
known in advance, such as a file download.
@end deffn

@noindent
Here's an example with a shell script as its builder, assuming
@var{store} is an open connection to the daemon, and @var{bash} points
to a Bash executable in the store:

@lisp
(use-modules (guix utils)
             (guix store)
             (guix derivations))

(call-with-values
  (lambda ()
    (let ((builder   ; add the Bash script to the store
           (add-text-to-store store "my-builder.sh"
                              "echo hello world > $out\n" '())))
      (derivation store "foo" (%current-system)
                  bash `("-e" ,builder)
                  '(("HOME" . "/homeless")) '())))
  list)
@result{} ("/nix/store/@dots{}-foo.drv" #<<derivation> @dots{}>)
@end lisp

As can be guessed, this primitive is cumbersome to use directly.  An
improved variant is @code{build-expression->derivation}, which allows
the caller to directly pass a Guile expression as the build script:

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} build-expression->derivation @var{store} @var{name} @var{system} @var{exp} @var{inputs} [#:outputs '("out")] [#:hash #f] [#:hash-algo #f] [#:env-vars '()] [#:modules '()] [#:guile-for-build #f]
Return a derivation that executes Scheme expression @var{exp} as a
builder for derivation @var{name}.  @var{inputs} must be a list of
@code{(name drv-path sub-drv)} tuples; when @var{sub-drv} is omitted,
@code{"out"} is assumed.  @var{modules} is a list of names of Guile
modules from the current search path to be copied in the store,
compiled, and made available in the load path during the execution of
@var{exp}---e.g., @code{((guix build utils) (guix build
gnu-build-system))}.

@var{exp} is evaluated in an environment where @code{%outputs} is bound
to a list of output/path pairs, and where @code{%build-inputs} is bound
to a list of string/output-path pairs made from @var{inputs}.
Optionally, @var{env-vars} is a list of string pairs specifying the name
and value of environment variables visible to the builder.  The builder
terminates by passing the result of @var{exp} to @code{exit}; thus, when
@var{exp} returns @code{#f}, the build is considered to have failed.

@var{exp} is built using @var{guile-for-build} (a derivation).  When
@var{guile-for-build} is omitted or is @code{#f}, the value of the
@code{%guile-for-build} fluid is used instead.
@end deffn

@noindent
Here's an example of a single-output derivation that creates a directory
containing one file:

@lisp
(let ((builder '(let ((out (assoc-ref %outputs "out")))
                  (mkdir out)    ; create /nix/store/@dots{}-goo
                  (call-with-output-file (string-append out "/test")
                    (lambda (p)
                      (display '(hello guix) p))))))
  (build-expression->derivation store "goo" (%current-system)
                                builder '()))

@result{} "/nix/store/@dots{}-goo.drv"
@result{} #<<derivation> @dots{}>
@end lisp

@cindex strata of code
Remember that the build expression passed to
@code{build-expression->derivation} is run by a separate Guile process
than the one that calls @code{build-expression->derivation}: it is run
by a Guile process launched by the daemon, typically in a chroot.  So,
while there is a single language for both the @dfn{host} and the build
side, there are really two @dfn{strata} of code: the host-side, and the
build-side code@footnote{The term @dfn{stratum} in this context was
coined by Manuel Serrano et al. in the context of their work on Hop.}.
This distinction is important to keep in mind, notably when using
higher-level constructs such as @var{gnu-build-system} (@pxref{Defining
Packages}).  For this reason, Guix modules that are meant to be used in
the build stratum are kept in the @code{(guix build @dots{})} name
space.

@c *********************************************************************
@node Utilities
@chapter Utilities

@menu
* Invoking guix build::         Building packages from the command line.
* Invoking guix hash::          Computing the cryptographic hash of a file.
* Invoking guix refresh::       Updating package definitions.
@end menu

@node Invoking guix build
@section Invoking @command{guix build}

The @command{guix build} command builds packages or derivations and
their dependencies, and prints the resulting store paths.  Note that it
does not modify the user's profile---this is the job of the
@command{guix package} command (@pxref{Invoking guix package}).  Thus,
it is mainly useful for distribution developers.

The general syntax is:

@example
guix build @var{options} @var{package-or-derivation}@dots{}
@end example

@var{package-or-derivation} may be either the name of a package found in
the software distribution such as @code{coreutils} or
@code{coreutils-8.20}, or a derivation such as
@file{/nix/store/@dots{}-coreutils-8.19.drv}.  Alternatively, the
@code{--expression} option may be used to specify a Scheme expression
that evaluates to a package; this is useful when disambiguation among
several same-named packages or package variants is needed.

The @var{options} may be zero or more of the following:

@table @code

@item --expression=@var{expr}
@itemx -e @var{expr}
Build the package @var{expr} evaluates to.

For example, @var{expr} may be @code{(@@ (gnu packages guile)
guile-1.8)}, which unambiguously designates this specific variant of
version 1.8 of Guile.

@item --source
@itemx -S
Build the packages' source derivations, rather than the packages
themselves.

For instance, @code{guix build -S gcc} returns something like
@file{/nix/store/@dots{}-gcc-4.7.2.tar.bz2}, which is GCC's source tarball.

@item --system=@var{system}
@itemx -s @var{system}
Attempt to build for @var{system}---e.g., @code{i686-linux}---instead of
the host's system type.

An example use of this is on Linux-based systems, which can emulate
different personalities.  For instance, passing
@code{--system=i686-linux} on an @code{x86_64-linux} system allows users
to build packages in a complete 32-bit environment.

@item --derivations
@itemx -d
Return the derivation paths, not the output paths, of the given
packages.

@item --keep-failed
@itemx -K
Keep the build tree of failed builds.  Thus, if a build fail, its build
tree is kept under @file{/tmp}, in a directory whose name is shown at
the end of the build log.  This is useful when debugging build issues.

@item --dry-run
@itemx -n
Do not build the derivations.

@item --no-substitutes
Build instead of resorting to pre-built substitutes.

@item --cores=@var{n}
@itemx -c @var{n}
Allow the use of up to @var{n} CPU cores for the build.  The special
value @code{0} means to use as many CPU cores as available.

@item --root=@var{file}
@itemx -r @var{file}
Make @var{file} a symlink to the result, and register it as a garbage
collector root.

@item --verbosity=@var{level}
Use the given verbosity level.  @var{level} must be an integer between 0
and 5; higher means more verbose output.  Setting a level of 4 or more
may be helpful when debugging setup issues with the build daemon.

@end table

Behind the scenes, @command{guix build} is essentially an interface to
the @code{package-derivation} procedure of the @code{(guix packages)}
module, and to the @code{build-derivations} procedure of the @code{(guix
store)} module.

@node Invoking guix hash
@section Invoking @command{guix hash}

The @command{guix hash} command allows to check the integrity of a file.
It is primarily a convenience tool for anyone contributing to the
distribution: it computes the cryptographic hash of a file, which can be
used in the definition of a package (@pxref{Defining Packages}).

The general syntax is:

@example
guix hash @var{option} @var{file}
@end example

@command{guix hash} has the following option:

@table @code

@item --format=@var{fmt}
@itemx -f @var{fmt}
Write the hash in the given format.

Supported formats: @code{nix-base32}, @code{base32}, @code{base16}
(@code{hex} and @code{hexadecimal} can be used as well).

If the @option{--format} option is not specified, @command{guix hash}
will output the hash in @code{nix-base32}.  This representation is used
in the definitions of packages.

@end table

@node Invoking guix refresh
@section Invoking @command{guix refresh}

The primary audience of the @command{guix refresh} command is developers
of the GNU software distribution.  By default, it reports any packages
provided by the distribution that are outdated compared to the latest
upstream version, like this:

@example
$ guix refresh
gnu/packages/gettext.scm:29:13: gettext would be upgraded from 0.18.1.1 to 0.18.2.1
gnu/packages/glib.scm:77:12: glib would be upgraded from 2.34.3 to 2.37.0
@end example

It does so by browsing each package's FTP directory and determining the
highest version number of the source tarballs
therein@footnote{Currently, this only works for GNU packages.}.

When passed @code{--update}, it modifies distribution source files to
update the version numbers and source tarball hashes of those packages'
recipes (@pxref{Defining Packages}).  This is achieved by downloading
each package's latest source tarball and its associated OpenPGP
signature, authenticating the downloaded tarball against its signature
using @command{gpg}, and finally computing its hash.  When the public
key used to sign the tarball is missing from the user's keyring, an
attempt is made to automatically retrieve it from a public key server;
when it's successful, the key is added to the user's keyring; otherwise,
@command{guix refresh} reports an error.

The following options are supported:

@table @code

@item --update
@itemx -u
Update distribution source files (package recipes) in place.
@ref{Defining Packages}, for more information on package definitions.

@item --select=[@var{subset}]
@itemx -s @var{subset}
Select all the packages in @var{subset}, one of @code{core} or
@code{non-core}.

The @code{core} subset refers to all the packages at the core of the
distribution---i.e., packages that are used to build ``everything
else''.  This includes GCC, libc, Binutils, Bash, etc.  Usually,
changing one of these packages in the distribution entails a rebuild of
all the others.  Thus, such updates are an inconvenience to users in
terms of build time or bandwidth used to achieve the upgrade.

The @code{non-core} subset refers to the remaining packages.  It is
typically useful in cases where an update of the core packages would be
inconvenient.

@end table

In addition, @command{guix refresh} can be passed one or more package
names, as in this example:

@example
guix refresh -u emacs idutils
@end example

@noindent
The command above specifically updates the @code{emacs} and
@code{idutils} packages.  The @code{--select} option would have no
effect in this case.


@c *********************************************************************
@node GNU Distribution
@chapter GNU Distribution

Guix comes with a distribution of free software@footnote{The term
``free'' here refers to the
@url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html,freedom provided to
users of that software}.}  that form the basis of the GNU system.  This
includes core GNU packages such as GNU libc, GCC, and Binutils, as well
as many GNU and non-GNU applications.  The complete list of available
packages can be seen by running @command{guix package} (@pxref{Invoking
guix package}):

@example
guix package --list-available
@end example

The package definitions of the distribution may are provided by Guile
modules in the @code{(gnu packages ...)} name space---for instance, the
@code{(gnu packages emacs)} module exports a variable named
@code{emacs}, which is bound to a @code{<package>} object
(@pxref{Defining Packages}).  The @code{(gnu packages)} module provides
facilities for searching for packages.

The distribution is fully @dfn{bootstrapped} and @dfn{self-contained}:
each package is built based solely on other packages in the
distribution.  The root of this dependency graph is a small set of
@dfn{bootstrap binaries}, provided by the @code{(gnu packages
bootstrap)} module.  These are statically-linked binaries of the core
tools without which building anything at all would be impossible.


Our goal is to build a practical 100% free software distribution of
Linux-based and other variants of GNU, with a focus on the promotion and
tight integration of GNU components, and an emphasis on programs and
tools that help users exert that freedom.

Building this distribution is a cooperative effort, and you are invited
to join!  Please get in touch with us on @email{bug-guix@@gnu.org}.  We
welcome ideas, bug reports, patches, and anything that may be helpful to
the project.


@c *********************************************************************
@node Acknowledgments
@chapter Acknowledgments

Guix is based on the Nix package manager, which was designed and
implemented by Eelco Dolstra.  Nix pioneered functional package
management, and promoted unprecedented features, such as transactional
package upgrades and rollbacks, per-user profiles, and referentially
transparent build processes.  Without this work, Guix would not exist.

The Nix-based software distributions, Nixpkgs and NixOS, have also been
an inspiration for Guix.

@c *********************************************************************
@node GNU Free Documentation License
@appendix GNU Free Documentation License

@include fdl-1.3.texi

@c *********************************************************************
@node Concept Index
@unnumbered Concept Index
@printindex cp

@node Function Index
@unnumbered Function Index
@printindex fn

@bye

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