nix-config

nix-darwin, home-manager and dotfiles managed by nix.

Features

nix with nix flakes
nix-darwin
home-manager (via nix-darwin but could work as standalone too)
homebrew casks (via nix-darwin)
several dev-shells [WIP]

Machines

Host	Hardware	named after
`Kare`	Apple Laptop	Susan Kare
`Hopper`	Apple Laptop	Grace Hopper

My standard username is pw. All code will be placed in the ~/Documents/Code/weiland/ directory. Previously, all my code was stored in ~/src/weiland.

Installation

on a freshly clean mac machine

Setup machine

iCloud

During Setup:

Login in to iCloud
System Settings -> iCloud -> iCloud Drive: enable Desktop & Documents Folders.
Disable Optimize Mac Storage for Documents (and later in Photos, too), so all data will be downloaded.

System Updates

Making sure system is up-to-date:

sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart --verbose

Xcode and Developer Tools

Install command line developer tools:

xcode-select --install

Then, install Xcode from the App Store.

Now, accept the Xcode and SDK license:

sudo xcodebuild -license accept

And make sure Xcode runs:

sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch

Open Xcode go to Preferences, open the Platforms tab and download iOS and VisioOS Simulators.

Install Rosetta

Actually, I try to avoid it, but looking at you AusweisApp.app

softwareupdate –install-rosetta

Code directories

Create code directory:

mkdir -p ~/Documents/Code/weiland
mkdir ~/Documents/Code/clones
mkdir ~/Documents/Code/tests
mkdir ~/Documents/Code/go

Clone this nix-config

On a new system, the file modes might be lost, and have to be fixed so the keys can be accessed:

chmod 600 ~/Documents/Configs/ssh/id_pw

Now we can clone. In order to prevent password prompts and because there is no ~/.ssh directory yet with key pairs, we start with a different key path:

GIT_SSH_COMMAND='ssh -i ~/Documents/Configs/ssh/id_pw -o IdentitiesOnly=yes' git clone git@github.com:weiland/nix-config.git ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

other ways to clone (if ssh keys or GitHub are already setup):

# using ssh (with default key in ~/.ssh)
git clone git@github.com:weiland/nix-config.git ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

# or using default (i.e. login to GitHub)
git clone https://github.com/weiland/nix-config.git ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

If there is no git ...

(which is supposed to be there actually with ventura/sonoma and installed xcode dev-tools)

You can follow the next step and install nix and then you can create a nix shell with git installed temporarely:

nix run nixpkgs#git

# or via old nix-env command
nix-env -iA nixpkgs.git

And now cd into the newly cloned nix-config directory:

$ cd ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

Install nix package manager

Via the official nix installer:

sh <(curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install)

Or using Determinate Nix Install / fish shell installation

Or using The Determinate Nix Installer, which performs well on mac (esp. after mac upgrades) and brings flake support by default:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf -L https://install.determinate.systems/nix | sh -s -- install

If already in the fish shell:

sh (curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | psub)

Enable flakes via config file

Not needed when using my home-manager config (or the Determinate Nix installer).

mkdir -p ~/.config/nix
echo "experimental-features = nix-command flakes" >> ~/.config/nix/nix.conf

Install Homebrew

It can run independently but is later controlled via nix-darwin.

bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

The brew command will ba available later after applying the home-manager settings.

Install mac with nix-darwin

This will apply the nix-darwin config and the home-manager config, so all mac default preferences will be set as well as all apps, tools and binaries will be installed.

# making sure to be in the right directory
cd ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

The following commands will install the host Hopper. Which can be replaced with any other hostname that exists in the ./hosts/ directory.

nix run --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" nix-darwin -- switch --flake .#Hopper

You have to enter your sudo password (at least once, perhaps more often as longer it takes) and click on Allow when prompted.

Or if using flakes remotely:

TODO(weiland): Fix command below

nix flake --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes' init -t github:weiland/nix-config#darwin

The next step is to restart the mac:

sudo reboot

Now nix-command and flakes are enabled by default, so --extra-experimental-features can be omitted.

Update / Rebuild

Run again:

nix run nix-darwin -- switch --flake .#Hopper

# for further times, one can use in any directory:
nix run nix-darwin -- switch --flake ~/.config/nix-darwin#Hopper

(Perhaps Full Disk Access is required. Enabled it in the Privacy & Security System Settings for the current Terminal.)

Finalisation / App Preferences

iterm

re-use config from `data/iterm/`

Set config:

$ defaults write com.googlecode.iterm2 PrefsCustomFolder "/Users/pw/Documents/Code/nix-config/data/iterm"

Alternatively:

Open iterm2
General -> Preferences -> check Load preferences from a custom folder or URL
choose /Users/pw/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config/data/iterm
And don't overwrite the existing one.

Generally, allow Full Disk Access for iTerm in System Settings -> Privacy & Security

For pre Sonoma:

If no directory can be selected, iterm has no access to the hard disk. This can be fixed by open `System Settings` -> Privacy & Security -> Hard Disk Access -> add _iterm2.app_.

Import a new colorscheme

#### Use a different colorscheme

Set colorscheme:

open ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config/data/iterm/Oceanic-Next.itermcolors

Open any other additional itermcolors-file.

Other colorschemes for iterm can be found at: https://iterm2colorschemes.com and should be downloaded to data/iterm/.

Jumpcut

Open & allow access (in Privacy & Security)

Rectangle

Open & allow access (in Privacy & Security) & choose recommended

Trackpad

Set Tracking Speed to Fast

Desktop & Dock

Click Wallpaper to reveal desktop to Only in Stage Manager

Set up fish shell

Import old fish history

[ -e ~/Documents/Backups/fish_history ] && cp ~/Documents/Backups/fish_history ~/.local/share/fish/fish_history

Import recenttracks.txt (or if new mv ~/Downloads/recenttracks-*.csv ~/.local/share/recenttracks.csv)
Optionally: import z history file as well (for the same host) ~/Library/Application\ Support/zoxide/db.zo

Import English Keyboard Layout with Umlauts

import keyboard layout

sudo cp -r data/keyboard_layout/ABC\ Extended\ German\ Umlauts.bundle /Library/Keyboard\ Layouts/

restart mac
System Settings -> Keyboard -> Input Sources -> Edit -> + -> Others

1Password

Allow Accessibility Settings (required for FF Browser extension to work)

Firefox Developer Edition

Login to Firefox Sync.
Adjust Toolbar (remove spaces and unused icons)
Login to Container Extension.
Set DDG as default search engine
Apply DuckDuckGo Settings: https://duckduckgo.com/?kae=-1&k18=1&kaj=m&kak=-1&kao=-1&kap=-1&kaq=-1&kau=-1&kav=1&kax=-1&kp=-2

Internet Accounts / Mail

Fantastical

Login via Apple (try a few times)
add main calendar account.
turn off notification from other calendars
show calendar week numbers
uncheck Go to today after adding items in Advanced Settings 🤯

Finder Sidebar

Adjust items in Finder sidebar to: Recents, Documents, Applications, Downloads, home, TU Darmstadt
hide tags
Make sure filename extensions are shown.

Messages

Edit -> Substitutions -> uncheck Emoji Substitutions
Start new messages from certain email (same goes for FaceTime)

To receive text messages on this mac device.

On the iPhone: - Settings -> Messages -> Text Message Forwarding -> _Enable_ this Mac

Other apps

Hosts

import from https://someonewhocares.org/hosts/ to /etc/hosts

Siri / Voice

Download the good Siri Voices for VoiceOver etc (Dansk, Norsk, French, German and English)

Wallpapers and Screensavers

Choose nice views

Uninstall unused apps

Remove GarageBand and iMovie
System Settings -> General -> Storage -> Remove Audio lib (from Garage Band)

Apple Wallet

set up cards, address and hide email

Import files from other/old device

via ssh using rsync:

# copy with archive and compress option
rsync -avz -e ssh old@device.local:~/Downloads ~/Downloads

# copying web projects but skipping node modules
rsync -avz -e ssh old@device.local:~/src ~/src --exclude node_modules

Or use Finder for external hard drives or AirDrop.

Wrapping up

Disk encryption

should be turned on by default

System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Turn On FileVault
Also, make sure that Find My Mac is enabled under Apple ID_ -> iCloud.

Time Machine

Make sure excluded paths are set (General -> Time Machine)
Plug in external hard drive and set the right volume

Testing and verification

Updates

Keeping nix and their friends up to date

# in nix-config directory
nix flake update

# from somewhere else
nix flake update --flake ~/Documents/Code/weiland/nix-config

Housekeeping

Code formatting

Formatting nix files:

nix fmt # using nixfmt-rfc-style

weiland/nix-config