guix.texi

Services, @code{upower-service}}); the Guix daemon service extends the
Shepherd by passing it the command lines to start and stop the daemon,
and extends the account service by passing it a list of required build
user accounts (@pxref{Base Services}).

All in all, services and their ``extends'' relations form a directed
acyclic graph (DAG).  If we represent services as boxes and extensions
as arrows, a typical system might provide something like this:

@image{images/service-graph,,5in,Typical service extension graph.}

@cindex system service
At the bottom, we see the @dfn{system service}, which produces the
directory containing everything to run and boot the system, as returned
by the @command{guix system build} command.  @xref{Service Reference},
to learn about the other service types shown here.
@xref{system-extension-graph, the @command{guix system extension-graph}
command}, for information on how to generate this representation for a
particular operating system definition.

@cindex service types
Technically, developers can define @dfn{service types} to express these
relations.  There can be any number of services of a given type on the
system---for instance, a system running two instances of the GNU secure
shell server (lsh) has two instances of @var{lsh-service-type}, with
different parameters.

The following section describes the programming interface for service
types and services.

@node Service Types and Services
@subsubsection Service Types and Services

A @dfn{service type} is a node in the DAG described above.  Let us start
with a simple example, the service type for the Guix build daemon
(@pxref{Invoking guix-daemon}):

@example
(define guix-service-type
  (service-type
   (name 'guix)
   (extensions
    (list (service-extension shepherd-root-service-type guix-shepherd-service)
          (service-extension account-service-type guix-accounts)
          (service-extension activation-service-type guix-activation)))))
@end example

@noindent
It defines two things:

@enumerate
@item
A name, whose sole purpose is to make inspection and debugging easier.

@item
A list of @dfn{service extensions}, where each extension designates the
target service type and a procedure that, given the parameters of the
service, returns a list of objects to extend the service of that type.

Every service type has at least one service extension.  The only
exception is the @dfn{boot service type}, which is the ultimate service.
@end enumerate

In this example, @var{guix-service-type} extends three services:

@table @var
@item shepherd-root-service-type
The @var{guix-shepherd-service} procedure defines how the Shepherd
service is extended.  Namely, it returns a @code{<shepherd-service>}
object that defines how @command{guix-daemon} is started and stopped
(@pxref{Shepherd Services}).

@item account-service-type
This extension for this service is computed by @var{guix-accounts},
which returns a list of @code{user-group} and @code{user-account}
objects representing the build user accounts (@pxref{Invoking
guix-daemon}).

@item activation-service-type
Here @var{guix-activation} is a procedure that returns a gexp, which is
a code snippet to run at ``activation time''---e.g., when the service is
booted.
@end table

A service of this type is instantiated like this:

@example
(service guix-service-type
         (guix-configuration
           (build-accounts 5)
           (use-substitutes? #f)))
@end example

The second argument to the @code{service} form is a value representing
the parameters of this specific service instance.
@xref{guix-configuration-type, @code{guix-configuration}}, for
information about the @code{guix-configuration} data type.

@var{guix-service-type} is quite simple because it extends other
services but is not extensible itself.

@c @subsubsubsection Extensible Service Types

The service type for an @emph{extensible} service looks like this:

@example
(define udev-service-type
  (service-type (name 'udev)
                (extensions
                 (list (service-extension shepherd-root-service-type
                                          udev-shepherd-service)))

                (compose concatenate)       ;concatenate the list of rules
                (extend (lambda (config rules)
                          (match config
                            (($ <udev-configuration> udev initial-rules)
                             (udev-configuration
                              (udev udev)   ;the udev package to use
                              (rules (append initial-rules rules)))))))))
@end example

This is the service type for the
@uref{https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Project:Eudev, eudev device
management daemon}.  Compared to the previous example, in addition to an
extension of @var{shepherd-root-service-type}, we see two new fields:

@table @code
@item compose
This is the procedure to @dfn{compose} the list of extensions to
services of this type.

Services can extend the udev service by passing it lists of rules; we
compose those extensions simply by concatenating them.

@item extend
This procedure defines how the value of the service is @dfn{extended} with
the composition of the extensions.

Udev extensions are composed into a list of rules, but the udev service
value is itself a @code{<udev-configuration>} record.  So here, we
extend that record by appending the list of rules it contains to the
list of contributed rules.
@end table

There can be only one instance of an extensible service type such as
@var{udev-service-type}.  If there were more, the
@code{service-extension} specifications would be ambiguous.

Still here?  The next section provides a reference of the programming
interface for services.

@node Service Reference
@subsubsection Service Reference

We have seen an overview of service types (@pxref{Service Types and
Services}).  This section provides a reference on how to manipulate
services and service types.  This interface is provided by the
@code{(gnu services)} module.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service @var{type} @var{value}
Return a new service of @var{type}, a @code{<service-type>} object (see
below.)  @var{value} can be any object; it represents the parameters of
this particular service instance.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service? @var{obj}
Return true if @var{obj} is a service.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service-kind @var{service}
Return the type of @var{service}---i.e., a @code{<service-type>} object.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service-parameters @var{service}
Return the value associated with @var{service}.  It represents its
parameters.
@end deffn

Here is an example of how a service is created and manipulated:

@example
(define s
  (service nginx-service-type
           (nginx-configuration
            (nginx nginx)
            (log-directory log-directory)
            (run-directory run-directory)
            (file config-file))))

(service? s)
@result{} #t

(eq? (service-kind s) nginx-service-type)
@result{} #t
@end example

The @code{modify-services} form provides a handy way to change the
parameters of some of the services of a list such as
@var{%base-services} (@pxref{Base Services, @code{%base-services}}).  It
evalutes to a list of services.  Of course, you could always use
standard list combinators such as @code{map} and @code{fold} to do that
(@pxref{SRFI-1, List Library,, guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual});
@code{modify-services} simply provides a more concise form for this
common pattern.

@deffn {Scheme Syntax} modify-services @var{services} @
  (@var{type} @var{variable} => @var{body}) @dots{}

Modify the services listed in @var{services} according to the given
clauses.  Each clause has the form:

@example
(@var{type} @var{variable} => @var{body})
@end example

where @var{type} is a service type---e.g.,
@code{guix-service-type}---and @var{variable} is an identifier that is
bound within the @var{body} to the service parameters---e.g., a
@code{guix-configuration} instance---of the original service of that
@var{type}.

The @var{body} should evaluate to the new service parameters, which will
be used to configure the new service.  This new service will replace the
original in the resulting list.  Because a service's service parameters
are created using @code{define-record-type*}, you can write a succint
@var{body} that evaluates to the new service parameters by using the
@code{inherit} feature that @code{define-record-type*} provides.

@xref{Using the Configuration System}, for example usage.

@end deffn

Next comes the programming interface for service types.  This is
something you want to know when writing new service definitions, but not
necessarily when simply looking for ways to customize your
@code{operating-system} declaration.

@deftp {Data Type} service-type
@cindex service type
This is the representation of a @dfn{service type} (@pxref{Service Types
and Services}).

@table @asis
@item @code{name}
This is a symbol, used only to simplify inspection and debugging.

@item @code{extensions}
A non-empty list of @code{<service-extension>} objects (see below).

@item @code{compose} (default: @code{#f})
If this is @code{#f}, then the service type denotes services that cannot
be extended---i.e., services that do not receive ``values'' from other
services.

Otherwise, it must be a one-argument procedure.  The procedure is called
by @code{fold-services} and is passed a list of values collected from
extensions.  It must return a value that is a valid parameter value for
the service instance.

@item @code{extend} (default: @code{#f})
If this is @code{#f}, services of this type cannot be extended.

Otherwise, it must be a two-argument procedure: @code{fold-services}
calls it, passing it the initial value of the service as the first argument
and the result of applying @code{compose} to the extension values as the
second argument.
@end table

@xref{Service Types and Services}, for examples.
@end deftp

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service-extension @var{target-type} @
                              @var{compute}
Return a new extension for services of type @var{target-type}.
@var{compute} must be a one-argument procedure: @code{fold-services}
calls it, passing it the value associated with the service that provides
the extension; it must return a valid value for the target service.
@end deffn

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} service-extension? @var{obj}
Return true if @var{obj} is a service extension.
@end deffn

At the core of the service abstraction lies the @code{fold-services}
procedure, which is responsible for ``compiling'' a list of services
down to a single directory that contains everything needed to boot and
run the system---the directory shown by the @command{guix system build}
command (@pxref{Invoking guix system}).  In essence, it propagates
service extensions down the service graph, updating each node parameters
on the way, until it reaches the root node.

@deffn {Scheme Procedure} fold-services @var{services} @
                            [#:target-type @var{system-service-type}]
Fold @var{services} by propagating their extensions down to the root of
type @var{target-type}; return the root service adjusted accordingly.
@end deffn

Lastly, the @code{(gnu services)} module also defines several essential
service types, some of which are listed below.

@defvr {Scheme Variable} system-service-type
This is the root of the service graph.  It produces the system directory
as returned by the @command{guix system build} command.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} boot-service-type
The type of the ``boot service'', which produces the @dfn{boot script}.
The boot script is what the initial RAM disk runs when booting.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} etc-service-type
The type of the @file{/etc} service.  This service can be extended by
passing it name/file tuples such as:

@example
(list `("issue" ,(plain-file "issue" "Welcome!\n")))
@end example

In this example, the effect would be to add an @file{/etc/issue} file
pointing to the given file.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} setuid-program-service-type
Type for the ``setuid-program service''.  This service collects lists of
executable file names, passed as gexps, and adds them to the set of
setuid-root programs on the system (@pxref{Setuid Programs}).
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} profile-service-type
Type of the service that populates the @dfn{system profile}---i.e., the
programs under @file{/run/current-system/profile}.  Other services can
extend it by passing it lists of packages to add to the system profile.
@end defvr


@node Shepherd Services
@subsubsection Shepherd Services

@cindex PID 1
@cindex init system
The @code{(gnu services shepherd)} module provides a way to define
services managed by the GNU@tie{}Shepherd, which is the GuixSD
initialization system---the first process that is started when the
system boots, also known as PID@tie{}1
(@pxref{Introduction,,, shepherd, The GNU Shepherd Manual}).

Services in the Shepherd can depend on each other.  For instance, the
SSH daemon may need to be started after the syslog daemon has been
started, which in turn can only happen once all the file systems have
been mounted.  The simple operating system defined earlier (@pxref{Using
the Configuration System}) results in a service graph like this:

@image{images/shepherd-graph,,5in,Typical shepherd service graph.}

You can actually generate such a graph for any operating system
definition using the @command{guix system shepherd-graph} command
(@pxref{system-shepherd-graph, @command{guix system shepherd-graph}}).

The @var{%shepherd-root-service} is a service object representing
PID@tie{}1, of type @var{shepherd-root-service-type}; it can be extended
by passing it lists of @code{<shepherd-service>} objects.

@deftp {Data Type} shepherd-service
The data type representing a service managed by the Shepherd.

@table @asis
@item @code{provision}
This is a list of symbols denoting what the service provides.

These are the names that may be passed to @command{herd start},
@command{herd status}, and similar commands (@pxref{Invoking herd,,,
shepherd, The GNU Shepherd Manual}).  @xref{Slots of services, the
@code{provides} slot,, shepherd, The GNU Shepherd Manual}, for details.

@item @code{requirements} (default: @code{'()})
List of symbols denoting the Shepherd services this one depends on.

@item @code{respawn?} (default: @code{#t})
Whether to restart the service when it stops, for instance when the
underlying process dies.

@item @code{start}
@itemx @code{stop} (default: @code{#~(const #f)})
The @code{start} and @code{stop} fields refer to the Shepherd's
facilities to start and stop processes (@pxref{Service De- and
Constructors,,, shepherd, The GNU Shepherd Manual}).  They are given as
G-expressions that get expanded in the Shepherd configuration file
(@pxref{G-Expressions}).

@item @code{documentation}
A documentation string, as shown when running:

@example
herd doc @var{service-name}
@end example

where @var{service-name} is one of the symbols in @var{provision}
(@pxref{Invoking herd,,, shepherd, The GNU Shepherd Manual}).

@item @code{modules} (default: @var{%default-modules})
This is the list of modules that must be in scope when @code{start} and
@code{stop} are evaluated.

@item @code{imported-modules} (default: @var{%default-imported-modules})
This is the list of modules to import in the execution environment of
the Shepherd.

@end table
@end deftp

@defvr {Scheme Variable} shepherd-root-service-type
The service type for the Shepherd ``root service''---i.e., PID@tie{}1.

This is the service type that extensions target when they want to create
shepherd services (@pxref{Service Types and Services}, for an example).
Each extension must pass a list of @code{<shepherd-service>}.
@end defvr

@defvr {Scheme Variable} %shepherd-root-service
This service represents PID@tie{}1.
@end defvr


@node Installing Debugging Files
@section Installing Debugging Files

@cindex debugging files
Program binaries, as produced by the GCC compilers for instance, are
typically written in the ELF format, with a section containing
@dfn{debugging information}.  Debugging information is what allows the
debugger, GDB, to map binary code to source code; it is required to
debug a compiled program in good conditions.

The problem with debugging information is that is takes up a fair amount
of disk space.  For example, debugging information for the GNU C Library
weighs in at more than 60 MiB.  Thus, as a user, keeping all the
debugging info of all the installed programs is usually not an option.
Yet, space savings should not come at the cost of an impediment to
debugging---especially in the GNU system, which should make it easier
for users to exert their computing freedom (@pxref{GNU Distribution}).

Thankfully, the GNU Binary Utilities (Binutils) and GDB provide a
mechanism that allows users to get the best of both worlds: debugging
information can be stripped from the binaries and stored in separate
files.  GDB is then able to load debugging information from those files,
when they are available (@pxref{Separate Debug Files,,, gdb, Debugging
with GDB}).

The GNU distribution takes advantage of this by storing debugging
information in the @code{lib/debug} sub-directory of a separate package
output unimaginatively called @code{debug} (@pxref{Packages with
Multiple Outputs}).  Users can choose to install the @code{debug} output
of a package when they need it.  For instance, the following command
installs the debugging information for the GNU C Library and for GNU
Guile:

@example
guix package -i glibc:debug guile:debug
@end example

GDB must then be told to look for debug files in the user's profile, by
setting the @code{debug-file-directory} variable (consider setting it
from the @file{~/.gdbinit} file, @pxref{Startup,,, gdb, Debugging with
GDB}):

@example
(gdb) set debug-file-directory ~/.guix-profile/lib/debug
@end example

From there on, GDB will pick up debugging information from the
@code{.debug} files under @file{~/.guix-profile/lib/debug}.

In addition, you will most likely want GDB to be able to show the source
code being debugged.  To do that, you will have to unpack the source
code of the package of interest (obtained with @code{guix build
--source}, @pxref{Invoking guix build}), and to point GDB to that source
directory using the @code{directory} command (@pxref{Source Path,
@code{directory},, gdb, Debugging with GDB}).

@c XXX: keep me up-to-date
The @code{debug} output mechanism in Guix is implemented by the
@code{gnu-build-system} (@pxref{Build Systems}).  Currently, it is
opt-in---debugging information is available only for the packages
with definitions explicitly declaring a @code{debug} output.  This may be
changed to opt-out in the future if our build farm servers can handle
the load.  To check whether a package has a @code{debug} output, use
@command{guix package --list-available} (@pxref{Invoking guix package}).


@node Security Updates
@section Security Updates

@cindex security updates
@cindex security vulnerabilities
Occasionally, important security vulnerabilities are discovered in software
packages and must be patched.  Guix developers try hard to keep track of
known vulnerabilities and to apply fixes as soon as possible in the
@code{master} branch of Guix (we do not yet provide a ``stable'' branch
containing only security updates.)  The @command{guix lint} tool helps
developers find out about vulnerable versions of software packages in the
distribution:

@smallexample
$ guix lint -c cve
gnu/packages/base.scm:652:2: glibc-2.21: probably vulnerable to CVE-2015-1781, CVE-2015-7547
gnu/packages/gcc.scm:334:2: gcc-4.9.3: probably vulnerable to CVE-2015-5276
gnu/packages/image.scm:312:2: openjpeg-2.1.0: probably vulnerable to CVE-2016-1923, CVE-2016-1924
@dots{}
@end smallexample

@xref{Invoking guix lint}, for more information.

@quotation Note
As of version @value{VERSION}, the feature described below is considered
``beta''.
@end quotation

Guix follows a functional
package management discipline (@pxref{Introduction}), which implies
that, when a package is changed, @emph{every package that depends on it}
must be rebuilt.  This can significantly slow down the deployment of
fixes in core packages such as libc or Bash, since basically the whole
distribution would need to be rebuilt.  Using pre-built binaries helps
(@pxref{Substitutes}), but deployment may still take more time than
desired.

@cindex grafts
To address this, Guix implements @dfn{grafts}, a mechanism that allows
for fast deployment of critical updates without the costs associated
with a whole-distribution rebuild.  The idea is to rebuild only the
package that needs to be patched, and then to ``graft'' it onto packages
explicitly installed by the user and that were previously referring to
the original package.  The cost of grafting is typically very low, and
order of magnitudes lower than a full rebuild of the dependency chain.

@cindex replacements of packages, for grafts
For instance, suppose a security update needs to be applied to Bash.
Guix developers will provide a package definition for the ``fixed''
Bash, say @var{bash-fixed}, in the usual way (@pxref{Defining
Packages}).  Then, the original package definition is augmented with a
@code{replacement} field pointing to the package containing the bug fix:

@example
(define bash
  (package
    (name "bash")
    ;; @dots{}
    (replacement bash-fixed)))
@end example

From there on, any package depending directly or indirectly on Bash---as
reported by @command{guix gc --requisites} (@pxref{Invoking guix
gc})---that is installed is automatically ``rewritten'' to refer to
@var{bash-fixed} instead of @var{bash}.  This grafting process takes
time proportional to the size of the package, usually less than a
minute for an ``average'' package on a recent machine.  Grafting is
recursive: when an indirect dependency requires grafting, then grafting
``propagates'' up to the package that the user is installing.

Currently, the graft and the package it replaces (@var{bash-fixed} and
@var{bash} in the example above) must have the exact same @code{name}
and @code{version} fields.  This restriction mostly comes from the fact
that grafting works by patching files, including binary files, directly.
Other restrictions may apply: for instance, when adding a graft to a
package providing a shared library, the original shared library and its
replacement must have the same @code{SONAME} and be binary-compatible.

The @option{--no-grafts} command-line option allows you to forcefully
avoid grafting (@pxref{Common Build Options, @option{--no-grafts}}).
Thus, the command:

@example
guix build bash --no-grafts
@end example

@noindent
returns the store file name of the original Bash, whereas:

@example
guix build bash
@end example

@noindent
returns the store file name of the ``fixed'', replacement Bash.  This
allows you to distinguish between the two variants of Bash.

To verify which Bash your whole profile refers to, you can run
(@pxref{Invoking guix gc}):

@example
guix gc -R `readlink -f ~/.guix-profile` | grep bash
@end example

@noindent
@dots{} and compare the store file names that you get with those above.
Likewise for a complete GuixSD system generation:

@example
guix gc -R `guix system build my-config.scm` | grep bash
@end example

Lastly, to check which Bash running processes are using, you can use the
@command{lsof} command:

@example
lsof | grep /gnu/store/.*bash
@end example


@node Package Modules
@section Package Modules

From a programming viewpoint, the package definitions of the
GNU distribution are provided by Guile modules in the @code{(gnu packages
@dots{})} name space@footnote{Note that packages under the @code{(gnu
packages @dots{})} module name space are not necessarily ``GNU
packages''.  This module naming scheme follows the usual Guile module
naming convention: @code{gnu} means that these modules are distributed
as part of the GNU system, and @code{packages} identifies modules that
define packages.}  (@pxref{Modules, Guile modules,, guile, GNU Guile
Reference Manual}).  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 @dots{})} module name space is
automatically scanned for packages by the command-line tools.  For
instance, when running @code{guix package -i emacs}, all the @code{(gnu
packages @dots{})} modules are scanned until one that exports a package
object whose name is @code{emacs} is found.  This package search
facility is implemented in the @code{(gnu packages)} module.

@cindex customization, of packages
@cindex package module search path
Users can store package definitions in modules with different
names---e.g., @code{(my-packages emacs)}@footnote{Note that the file
name and module name must match.  For instance, the @code{(my-packages
emacs)} module must be stored in a @file{my-packages/emacs.scm} file
relative to the load path specified with @option{--load-path} or
@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH}.  @xref{Modules and the File System,,,
guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}, for details.}.  These package definitions
will not be visible by default.  Users can invoke commands such as
@command{guix package} and @command{guix build} with the
@code{-e} option so that they know where to find the package.  Better
yet, they can use the
@code{-L} option of these commands to make those modules visible
(@pxref{Invoking guix build, @code{--load-path}}), or define the
@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH} environment variable.  This environment
variable makes it easy to extend or customize the distribution and is
honored by all the user interfaces.

@defvr {Environment Variable} GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH
This is a colon-separated list of directories to search for additional
package modules.  Directories listed in this variable take precedence
over the own modules of the distribution.
@end defvr

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.  For more information on bootstrapping,
@pxref{Bootstrapping}.

@node Packaging Guidelines
@section Packaging Guidelines

The GNU distribution is nascent and may well lack some of your favorite
packages.  This section describes how you can help make the distribution
grow.  @xref{Contributing}, for additional information on how you can
help.

Free software packages are usually distributed in the form of
@dfn{source code tarballs}---typically @file{tar.gz} files that contain
all the source files.  Adding a package to the distribution means
essentially two things: adding a @dfn{recipe} that describes how to
build the package, including a list of other packages required to build
it, and adding @dfn{package metadata} along with that recipe, such as a
description and licensing information.

In Guix all this information is embodied in @dfn{package definitions}.
Package definitions provide a high-level view of the package.  They are
written using the syntax of the Scheme programming language; in fact,
for each package we define a variable bound to the package definition,
and export that variable from a module (@pxref{Package Modules}).
However, in-depth Scheme knowledge is @emph{not} a prerequisite for
creating packages.  For more information on package definitions,
@pxref{Defining Packages}.

Once a package definition is in place, stored in a file in the Guix
source tree, it can be tested using the @command{guix build} command
(@pxref{Invoking guix build}).  For example, assuming the new package is
called @code{gnew}, you may run this command from the Guix build tree
(@pxref{Running Guix Before It Is Installed}):

@example
./pre-inst-env guix build gnew --keep-failed
@end example

Using @code{--keep-failed} makes it easier to debug build failures since
it provides access to the failed build tree.  Another useful
command-line option when debugging is @code{--log-file}, to access the
build log.

If the package is unknown to the @command{guix} command, it may be that
the source file contains a syntax error, or lacks a @code{define-public}
clause to export the package variable.  To figure it out, you may load
the module from Guile to get more information about the actual error:

@example
./pre-inst-env guile -c '(use-modules (gnu packages gnew))'
@end example

Once your package builds correctly, please send us a patch
(@pxref{Contributing}).  Well, if you need help, we will be happy to
help you too.  Once the patch is committed in the Guix repository, the
new package automatically gets built on the supported platforms by
@url{http://hydra.gnu.org/jobset/gnu/master, our continuous integration
system}.

@cindex substituter
Users can obtain the new package definition simply by running
@command{guix pull} (@pxref{Invoking guix pull}).  When
@code{hydra.gnu.org} is done building the package, installing the
package automatically downloads binaries from there
(@pxref{Substitutes}).  The only place where human intervention is
needed is to review and apply the patch.


@menu
* Software Freedom::            What may go into the distribution.
* Package Naming::              What's in a name?
* Version Numbers::             When the name is not enough.
* Synopses and Descriptions::   Helping users find the right package.
* Python Modules::              Taming the snake.
* Perl Modules::                Little pearls.
* Fonts::                       Fond of fonts.
@end menu

@node Software Freedom
@subsection Software Freedom

@c Adapted from http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html.

The GNU operating system has been developed so that users can have
freedom in their computing.  GNU is @dfn{free software}, meaning that
users have the @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html,four
essential freedoms}: to run the program, to study and change the program
in source code form, to redistribute exact copies, and to distribute
modified versions.  Packages found in the GNU distribution provide only
software that conveys these four freedoms.

In addition, the GNU distribution follow the
@url{http://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html,free
software distribution guidelines}.  Among other things, these guidelines
reject non-free firmware, recommendations of non-free software, and
discuss ways to deal with trademarks and patents.

Some otherwise free upstream package sources contain a small and optional
subset that violates the above guidelines, for instance because this subset
is itself non-free code.  When that happens, the offending items are removed
with appropriate patches or code snippets in the @code{origin} form of the
package (@pxref{Defining Packages}).  This way, @code{guix
build --source} returns the ``freed'' source rather than the unmodified
upstream source.


@node Package Naming
@subsection Package Naming

A package has actually two names associated with it:
First, there is the name of the @emph{Scheme variable}, the one following
@code{define-public}.  By this name, the package can be made known in the
Scheme code, for instance as input to another package.  Second, there is
the string in the @code{name} field of a package definition.  This name
is used by package management commands such as
@command{guix package} and @command{guix build}.

Both are usually the same and correspond to the lowercase conversion of
the project name chosen upstream, with underscores replaced with
hyphens.  For instance, GNUnet is available as @code{gnunet}, and
SDL_net as @code{sdl-net}.

We do not add @code{lib} prefixes for library packages, unless these are
already part of the official project name.  But @pxref{Python
Modules} and @ref{Perl Modules} for special rules concerning modules for
the Python and Perl languages.

Font package names are handled differently, @pxref{Fonts}.


@node Version Numbers
@subsection Version Numbers

We usually package only the latest version of a given free software
project.  But sometimes, for instance for incompatible library versions,
two (or more) versions of the same package are needed.  These require
different Scheme variable names.  We use the name as defined
in @ref{Package Naming}
for the most recent version; previous versions use the same name, suffixed
by @code{-} and the smallest prefix of the version number that may
distinguish the two versions.

The name inside the package definition is the same for all versions of a
package and does not contain any version number.

For instance, the versions 2.24.20 and 3.9.12 of GTK+ may be packaged as follows:

@example
(define-public gtk+
  (package
    (name "gtk+")
    (version "3.9.12")
    ...))
(define-public gtk+-2
  (package
    (name "gtk+")
    (version "2.24.20")
    ...))
@end example
If we also wanted GTK+ 3.8.2, this would be packaged as
@example
(define-public gtk+-3.8
  (package
    (name "gtk+")
    (version "3.8.2")
    ...))
@end example

@c See <https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2016-01/msg00425.html>,
@c for a discussion of what follows.
@cindex version number, for VCS snapshots
Occasionally, we package snapshots of upstream's version control system
(VCS) instead of formal releases.  This should remain exceptional,
because it is up to upstream developers to clarify what the stable
release is.  Yet, it is sometimes necessary.  So, what should we put in
the @code{version} field?

Clearly, we need to make the commit identifier of the VCS snapshot
visible in the version string, but we also need to make sure that the
version string is monotonically increasing so that @command{guix package
--upgrade} can determine which version is newer.  Since commit
identifiers, notably with Git, are not monotonically increasing, we add
a revision number that we increase each time we upgrade to a newer
snapshot.  The resulting version string looks like this:

@example
2.0.11-3.cabba9e
  ^    ^    ^
  |    |    `-- upstream commit ID
  |    |
  |    `--- Guix package revision
  |
latest upstream version
@end example

It is a good idea to strip commit identifiers in the @code{version}
field to, say, 7 digits.  It avoids an aesthetic annoyance (assuming
aesthetics have a role to play here) as well as problems related to OS
limits such as the maximum shebang length (127 bytes for the Linux
kernel.)  It is best to use the full commit identifiers in
@code{origin}s, though, to avoid ambiguities.  A typical package
definition may look like this:

@example
(define my-package
  (let ((commit "c3f29bc928d5900971f65965feaae59e1272a3f7"))
    (package
      (version (string-append "0.9-1."
                              (string-take commit 7)))
      (source (origin
                (method git-fetch)
                (uri (git-reference
                      (url "git://example.org/my-package.git")
                      (commit commit)))
                (sha256 (base32 "1mbikn@dots{}"))
                (file-name (string-append "my-package-" version
                                          "-checkout"))))
      ;; @dots{}
      )))
@end example

@node Synopses and Descriptions
@subsection Synopses and Descriptions

As we have seen before, each package in GNU@tie{}Guix includes a
synopsis and a description (@pxref{Defining Packages}).  Synopses and
descriptions are important: They are what @command{guix package
--search} searches, and a crucial piece of information to help users
determine whether a given package suits their needs.  Consequently,
packagers should pay attention to what goes into them.

Synopses must start with a capital letter and must not end with a
period.  They must not start with ``a'' or ``the'', which usually does
not bring anything; for instance, prefer ``File-frobbing tool'' over ``A
tool that frobs files''.  The synopsis should say what the package
is---e.g., ``Core GNU utilities (file, text, shell)''---or what it is
used for---e.g., the synopsis for GNU@tie{}grep is ``Print lines
matching a pattern''.

Keep in mind that the synopsis must be meaningful for a very wide
audience.  For example, ``Manipulate alignments in the SAM format''
might make sense for a seasoned bioinformatics researcher, but might be
fairly unhelpful or even misleading to a non-specialized audience.  It
is a good idea to come up with a synopsis that gives an idea of the
application domain of the package.  In this example, this might give
something like ``Manipulate nucleotide sequence alignments'', which
hopefully gives the user a better idea of whether this is what they are
looking for.

@cindex Texinfo markup, in package descriptions
Descriptions should take between five and ten lines.  Use full
sentences, and avoid using acronyms without first introducing them.
Descriptions can include Texinfo markup, which is useful to introduce
ornaments such as @code{@@code} or @code{@@dfn}, bullet lists, or
hyperlinks (@pxref{Overview,,, texinfo, GNU Texinfo}).  However you
should be careful when using some characters for example @samp{@@} and
curly braces which are the basic special characters in Texinfo
(@pxref{Special Characters,,, texinfo, GNU Texinfo}).  User interfaces
such as @command{guix package --show} take care of rendering it
appropriately.

Synopses and descriptions are translated by volunteers
@uref{http://translationproject.org/domain/guix-packages.html, at the
Translation Project} so that as many users as possible can read them in
their native language.  User interfaces search them and display them in
the language specified by the current locale.

Translation is a lot of work so, as a packager, please pay even more
attention to your synopses and descriptions as every change may entail
additional work for translators.  In order to help them, it is possible
to make recommendations or instructions visible to them by inserting
special comments like this (@pxref{xgettext Invocation,,, gettext, GNU
Gettext}):

@example
;; TRANSLATORS: "X11 resize-and-rotate" should not be translated.
(description "ARandR is designed to provide a simple visual front end
for the X11 resize-and-rotate (RandR) extension. @dots{}")
@end example


@node Python Modules
@subsection Python Modules

We currently package Python 2 and Python 3, under the Scheme variable names
@code{python-2} and @code{python} as explained in @ref{Version Numbers}.
To avoid confusion and naming clashes with other programming languages, it
seems desirable that the name of a package for a Python module contains
the word @code{python}.

Some modules are compatible with only one version of Python, others with both.
If the package Foo compiles only with Python 3, we name it
@code{python-foo}; if it compiles only with Python 2, we name it
@code{python2-foo}. If it is compatible with both versions, we create two
packages with the corresponding names.

If a project already contains the word @code{python}, we drop this;
for instance, the module python-dateutil is packaged under the names
@code{python-dateutil} and @code{python2-dateutil}.


@node Perl Modules
@subsection Perl Modules

Perl programs standing for themselves are named as any other package,
using the lowercase upstream name.
For Perl packages containing a single class, we use the lowercase class name,
replace all occurrences of @code{::} by dashes and prepend the prefix
@code{perl-}.
So the class @code{XML::Parser} becomes @code{perl-xml-parser}.
Modules containing several classes keep their lowercase upstream name and
are also prepended by @code{perl-}.  Such modules tend to have the word
@code{perl} somewhere in their name, which gets dropped in favor of the
prefix.  For instance, @code{libwww-perl} becomes @code{perl-libwww}.


@node Fonts
@subsection Fonts

For fonts that are in general not installed by a user for typesetting
purposes, or that are distributed as part of a larger software package,
we rely on the general packaging rules for software; for instance, this
applies to the fonts delivered as part of the X.Org system or fonts that
are part of TeX Live.

To make it easier for a user to search for fonts, names for other packages
containing only fonts are constructed as follows, independently of the
upstream package name.

The name of a package containing only one font family starts with
@code{font-}; it is followed by the foundry name and a dash @code{-}
if the foundry is known, and the font family name, in which spaces are
replaced by dashes (and as usual, all upper case letters are transformed
to lower case).
For example, the Gentium font family by SIL is packaged under the name
@code{font-sil-gentium}.

For a package containing several font families, the name of the collection
is used in the place of the font family name.
For instance, the Liberation fonts consist of three families,