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Diffstat (limited to 'doc/manual/release-notes.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/manual/release-notes.xml | 94 |
1 files changed, 82 insertions, 12 deletions
diff --git a/doc/manual/release-notes.xml b/doc/manual/release-notes.xml index 7ef25401beaa..4c88a8ceda83 100644 --- a/doc/manual/release-notes.xml +++ b/doc/manual/release-notes.xml @@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ <section xml:id="ssec-relnotes-1.0"><title>Release 1.0 (TBA)</title> -<para>This release has the following improvements:</para> +<para>There have been numerous improvements and bug fixes since the +previous release. Here are the most significant:</para> <itemizedlist> @@ -23,29 +24,98 @@ </listitem> <listitem> - <para>The option <option>--timeout</option> (corresponding to the - configuration setting <literal>build-timeout</literal>) allows you - to set an absolute timeout on builds — if a build runs for more than - the given number of seconds, it is terminated. This is useful for - recovering automatically from builds that are stuck in an infinite - loop but keep producing output, and for which - <literal>--max-silent-time</literal> is ineffective.</para> + <para>Nix now uses SQLite for its database. This is faster and + more flexible than the old <emphasis>ad hoc</emphasis> format. + SQLite is also used to cache the manifests in + <filename>/nix/var/nix/manifests</filename>, resulting in a + significant speedup.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>Nix now has an search path for expressions. The search path + is set using the environment variable <envar>NIX_PATH</envar> and + the <option>-I</option> command line option. In Nix expressions, + paths between angle brackets are used to specify files that must + be looked up in the search path. For instance, the expression + <literal><nixpkgs/default.nix></literal> looks for a file + <filename>nixpkgs/default.nix</filename> relative to every element + in the search path.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>The new command <command>nix-build --run-env</command> + builds all dependencies of a derivation, then starts a shell in an + environment containing all variables from the derivation. This is + useful for reproducing the environment of a derivation for + development.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>The new command <command>nix-store --verify-path</command> + verifies that the contents of a store path have not + changed.</para> </listitem> <listitem> - <para>TODO: “or” keyword.</para> + <para>The new command <command>nix-store --print-env</command> + prints out the environment of a derivation in a format that can be + evaluated by a shell.</para> </listitem> <listitem> - <para>TODO: Nix expression search path (<literal>import <foo/bar.nix></literal>).</para> + <para>Attribute names can now be arbitrary strings. For instance, + you can write <literal>{ "foo-1.2" = …; "bla bla" = …; }."bla + bla"</literal>.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>Attribute selection can now provide a default value using + the <literal>or</literal> operator. For instance, the expression + <literal>x.y.z or e</literal> evaluates to the attribute + <literal>x.y.z</literal> if it exists, and <literal>e</literal> + otherwise.</para> </listitem> <listitem> - <para>TODO: <command>nix-store --verify-path</command> command.</para> + <para>The right-hand side of the <literal>?</literal> operator can + now be an attribute path, e.g., <literal>attrs ? + a.b.c</literal>.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>On Linux, Nix will now make files in the Nix store immutable + on filesystems that support it. This prevents accidental + modification of files in the store by the root user.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>Nix has preliminary support for derivations with multiple + outputs. This is useful because it allows parts of a package to + be deployed and garbage-collected separately. For instance, + development parts of a package such as header files or static + libraries would typically not be part of the closure of an + application, resulting in reduced disk usage and installation + time.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>The Nix store garbage collector is faster and holds the + global lock for a shorter amount of time.</para> + </listitem> + + <listitem> + <para>The option <option>--timeout</option> (corresponding to the + configuration setting <literal>build-timeout</literal>) allows you + to set an absolute timeout on builds — if a build runs for more than + the given number of seconds, it is terminated. This is useful for + recovering automatically from builds that are stuck in an infinite + loop but keep producing output, and for which + <literal>--max-silent-time</literal> is ineffective.</para> </listitem> <listitem> - <para>TODO: <command>nix-store --print-env</command> command.</para> + <para>Nix development has moved to GitHub (<link + xlink:href="https://github.com/NixOS/nix" />).</para> </listitem> </itemizedlist> |