Summary
After spending significant time using NixOS, I decided to move back to a more traditional Linux distribution. This wasn’t because NixOS is bad — it’s powerful — but because it wasn’t aligned with my current learning and career goals.
What I Loved About NixOS
NixOS is a declarative operating system. Instead of manually installing packages one by one, everything is defined in configuration files.
That means:
- Reproducible systems
- Clean rollbacks
- Immutable infrastructure
- Powerful DevOps-style workflows
It gave me the “immutable system” I always wanted.
For a system engineer or DevOps professional, this is amazing.
The Problem I Ran Into
The friction started when I tried to:
- Install certain niche programs
- Use specific VPN software
- Configure tools that assume a traditional Linux layout
Sometimes packages weren’t available. Other times they required workarounds. And occasionally they just didn’t behave like they would on Ubuntu or RHEL.
Instead of learning Linux fundamentals, I was debugging Nix.
Why I Left
Right now, my goal is to:
- Strengthen Linux fundamentals
- Study for LPIC
- Build skills that have broader market value
- Understand traditional package management deeply
Nix abstracts away a lot of the “mess” of Linux.
But that mess is also what I need to understand.
Before building advanced declarative systems, I need to master the basics.
What I Learned
NixOS taught me:
- Infrastructure as code thinking
- Configuration discipline
- System reproducibility
- The power of declarative environments
I don’t regret using it.
I just recognize that it wasn’t the right tool for this stage of my journey.
Final Thoughts
I may return to NixOS in the future.
But for now, I need to walk before I redesign the road.