Kieran's Dots#

The layout#

~/dots # symlinked to /etc/nixos
├── dots # any config files that need to be symlinked go here, e.g. my hyprland config
│   └── wallpapers
├── machines
│   ├── atalanta # my macOS M4 machine
│   ├── ember # my dell r210 server (in my basement)
│   ├── moonlark # my framework 13 <dead>
│   ├── nest # shared tilde server through hc
│   ├── prattle # oracle cloud x86_64 server
│   ├── tacyon # rpi 5
│   └── terebithia # oracle cloud aarch64 server
├── modules
│   ├── home # home-manager modules
│   │   ├── aesthetics # theming and wallpapers
│   │   ├── apps # any app specific config
│   │   │   └── crush # vendored for now
│   │   ├── system # home-manager system configs
│   │   └── wm # window managers; just hyprland for now
│   │       └── hyprland
│   └── nixos # nixos modules
│       ├── apps # also app specific configs
│       └── system # pam and my fancy wifi module for now
└── secrets # keep your grubby hands (or paws) off my data

16 directories

Installation#

You could either install a NixOS machine (rn there is just moonlark), use the home-manager instructions, or use nix-darwin for macOS.

macOS with nix-darwin#

For macOS machines, you can use nix-darwin:

1. Install Nix using the determinate systems installer:

curl -fsSL https://install.determinate.systems/nix | sh -s -- install

2. Clone the repository:

git clone git@github.com:taciturnaxolotl/dots.git
cd dots

3. Apply the configuration:

darwin-rebuild switch --flake .#atalanta

Home Manager#

Install nix via the determinate systems installer

curl -fsSL https://install.determinate.systems/nix | sh -s -- install --determinate

then copy ssh keys and chmod them

scp .ssh/id_rsa* nest:/home/kierank/.ssh/
ssh nest chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa*

and then clone the repo

git clone git@github.com:taciturnaxolotl/dots.git
cd dots

and execute the machine profile

nix-shell -p home-manager
home-manager switch --flake .#nest

setup atuin and import previous shell history

atuin login
atuin import

NixOS#

These instructions have been validated by installing on my friend's machine (Nat2-Dev/dots)

Using nixos-anywhere (Recommended for remote installations)#

For remote installations (like Oracle Cloud), use nixos-anywhere:

nix run github:nix-community/nixos-anywhere -- \
  --flake .#prattle \
  --generate-hardware-config nixos-facter ./machines/prattle/facter.json \
  --build-on-remote \
  root@<ip-address>

Replace prattle with your machine configuration and <ip-address> with your target machine's IP.

Note: Make sure your SSH key is in the target machine's authorized_keys and the machine configuration has the correct network settings. The --generate-hardware-config nixos-facter flag will generate a comprehensive hardware report using nixos-facter instead of the traditional nixos-generate-config.

Using the install script#

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/taciturnaxolotl/dots/main/install.sh -o install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

The manual way#

Install NixOS via the official guide

Connect to wifi

wpa_passphrase your-ESSID your-passphrase | sudo tee /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo systemctl restart wpa_supplicant

Check with ping 1.1.1.1 if that doesn't work then use wpa_cli

sudo systemctl start wpa_supplicant
wpa_cli

add_network 0

set_network 0 ssid "put your ssid here"

set_network 0 psk "put your password here"

enable network 0

exit

Aquire root permissions while keeping your current context with

sudo -i

Enable git and rebuild your flake with the following

sed -i 's/^{$/{\n  programs.git.enable = true;/' /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
nixos-rebuild switch

Download the disk configuration and run it

curl -L https://github.com/taciturnaxolotl/dots/raw/main/moonlark/disk-config.nix -o /tmp/disk-config.nix
nix --experimental-features "nix-command flakes" run github:nix-community/disko -- --mode destroy,format,mount /tmp/disk-config.nix

Run nixos generate config and cd into it

nixos-generate-config --root /mnt
cd /mnt/etc/nixos

Clone this repo to your /mnt/etc/nixos folder

rm *
git clone https://github.com/taciturnaxolotl/dots.git .

Add your ssh private key to /mnt/etc/ssh/id_rsa

install the flake, and umount the filesystem, and then reboot

nixos-install --flake .#moonlark --no-root-passwd
reboot

Pray to the nix gods that it works 🙏

If it worked then you should be able to login with the user kierank and the password lolzthisaintsecure!

You should immediately change the password

passwd kierank

Move the config to your local directory, link to /etc/nixos, and change permissions

sudo mv /etc/nixos ~/dots
sudo ln -s ~/dots /etc/nixos
sudo chown -R $(id -un):users ~/dots
sudo chown kierank -R ~/dots
sudo chown kierank -R ~/dots/.*

17. Setup the fingerprint reader and verify it works (you may need to swipe your finger across the fingerprint sensor instead of simply laying it there)

sudo fprintd-enroll -f right-index-finger kierank
sudo fprintd-verify kierank

Finally enable atuin

atuin login
atuin sync

some odd things#

for helix if you want the grammar to work you must run the following as per this helix discussion

hx -g fetch
hx -g build

Screenshots#

Credits#

Thanks a bunch to the following people for their dots, configs, and general inspiration which i've shamelessly stolen from:

• NixOS/nixos-hardware
• hyprland-community/hyprnix
• spikespaz/dotfiles
• Misterio77/nix-starter-configs
• mccd.space install guide
• disco docs
• XDG_CONFIG_HOME setting
• Daru-san/spicetify-nix
• agenix
• wpa_supplicant env file docs
• escaping nix variables
• nerd fonts cheat sheet
• setting the default shell in nix
• hyprwm/contrib
• gtk with home manager
• setting up the proper portals
• tuigreet setup

📜 License#

The code is licensed under MIT! That means MIT allows for free use, modification, and distribution of the software, requiring only that the original copyright notice and disclaimer are included in copies. All artwork and images are copyright reserved but may be used with proper attribution to the authors.

© 2025-present Kieran Klukas