Soonix

Soonix is a lightweight, declarative tool for managing configuration files, build scripts, and other project assets using the Nix module system. It provides a clean alternative to Nixago with reduced complexity and removed legacy code.

What is Soonix?

Soonix helps you:

• Generate configuration files from Nix data structures
• Template complex configurations using Go templates or Jinja2
• Manage file lifecycles automatically with shell hooks
• Keep generated files in sync with your Nix configuration
• Integrate seamlessly with development environments

Key Features

Multiple Generation Engines

• nix: Convert Nix data to JSON, YAML, TOML, INI, XML formats
• string: Output raw string content with optional executable permissions
• derivation: Use existing Nix derivations as file content
• gotmpl: Advanced Go template rendering via gomplate
• jinja: Python Jinja2 template rendering

Automatic File Management

Shell hooks automatically update files when entering your development environment, with intelligent change detection and status reporting.

Flexible File Handling

Choose between symlinks or file copies on a per-file basis.

GitIgnore Integration

Automatically manage .gitignore entries for generated files to keep your repository clean.

Quick Example

{
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    soonix.url = "gitlab:TECHNOFAB/soonix?dir=lib";
  };

  outputs = { nixpkgs, soonix, ... }: let
    system = "x86_64-linux";
    pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system};

    shellHook = (soonix.lib { inherit pkgs; }).mkShellHook {
      hooks = {
        eslintrc = {
          output = ".eslintrc.json";
          generator = "nix";
          data = { 
            extends = ["eslint:recommended"];
            rules = {
              "no-unused-vars" = "error";
            };
          };
          opts = { format = "json"; };
        };

        dockerfile = {
          output = "Dockerfile";
          generator = "gotmpl";
          data = {
            baseImage = "node:18-alpine";
            port = 3000;
          };
          opts.template = ./templates/dockerfile.tmpl;
        };
      };
    };
  in {
    devShells.${system}.default = pkgs.mkShell {
      packages = [ pkgs.nodejs pkgs.docker ];
      inherit shellHook;
    };
  };
}

When you enter this development environment, Soonix will:

1. Generate .eslintrc.json with your ESLint configuration
2. Render Dockerfile from your template with the provided data
3. Add both files to .gitignore automatically
4. Report status of file updates

Why Soonix over Nixago?

Soonix is designed as a cleaner, more maintainable alternative to Nixago:

• Reduced complexity: Streamlined codebase without legacy features
• Better error handling: Clear error messages and status reporting
• Modern architecture: Built with current Nix best practices
• Focused scope: Does one thing well rather than trying to be everything

Getting Started

Ready to start using Soonix? Check out the Usage Guide for detailed setup instructions and examples, or browse the Integration Guide to see how to use Soonix with different development tools and frameworks.