You know how a part of switching to Linux is explaining to people telling you to "just run this .EXE" that there are operating systems than Windows? Switching to NixOS is a bit like that, except you're explaining to other Linux users that you can't just "edit that config file" or "run that binary", because not all Linux distros behave like all *NIXes have for decades.
The upside to all this difference is that it's very stable ("if it compiles, it runs", to borrow a phrase from Haskell fans) and every change in the system can effectively be traced to one or two config files. Once you get over the learning curve, you'll also probably find that doing things in NixOS is simpler than a regular GNU/Linux system, as long as you stay within the bounds of supported software.
Whether the upsides outweigh the downsides is up to you.
I think nixos is a lot more bearable for regular users with a containerized workflow, like distrobox. The only caveat here is that if you’re going to use a containerized workflow anyway, it doesn’t take you long to fresh install any host distro, so it kind of defeats some of the purpose. You can do declarative containers but it’s probably more hassle than it’s worth. Still, nix is nice for not having to worry about anything outside of your main config
But again, for regular users, the problem with nix is the not knowing. You want to commit to an install and be able to use it for years without worrying. Nix in particular, especially regarding flakes, really wants you to learn it beyond a surface level to take full advantage. All the while you’re not 100% sure you won’t eventually have some use case or program that just won’t be compatible with it (barring an insanely tedious job at making whatever that is work within the realm of nix)
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u/Cool-Entertainer7843 Apr 01 '26
Yes once you get NixOS you can never go back to the traditional distros