# nix-darwin/nix-darwin

Manage your macOS using Nix

Repository: https://github.com/nix-darwin/nix-darwin
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/nix-darwin
Homepage: https://nix-darwin.org
Language: Nix
License: MIT
License Family: permissive
Topics: darwin, nix, launchd, dotfiles
Last push: 2026-08-16T02:32:30+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 76/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:39:23.370411+00:00)
- activity 97, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3608, "days_push": 18, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 5881, forks 659 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:31.877371+00:00)

## What it is
nix-darwin is a declarative configuration system for macOS built on Nix and Nixpkgs, similar to NixOS. It lets users define their entire macOS system setup—including packages, launchd services, and dotfiles—in a configuration.nix file.

## Use cases
- manage macOS system configuration declaratively with Nix
- set up dotfiles and packages reproducibly on a Mac
- manage launchd services on macOS
- keep multiple Macs configured identically
- migrate from Linux NixOS-style setup to macOS
- version control my entire macOS system setup

## When to choose
- you already use Nix and want declarative macOS management
- you want reproducible, version-controlled system configuration on a Mac
- you manage dotfiles and packages across multiple macOS machines

## When to avoid
- you want a simple GUI tool for macOS settings
- you have no interest in learning the Nix language
- you need to manage non-Apple systems (use NixOS instead)

## Facets
- artifact type: framework
- maturity: active
- function: configuration-management, developer-tools, package-manager
- domain: operating-systems, developer-tools, apple-ecosystem
- platform: cli
- tags: nix, declarative-configuration, dotfiles, launchd, macos-system-management, automation, macos

## Member repositories
- nix-darwin/nix-darwin (main) score 76

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:31.877371+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:51:34.120718+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/nix-darwin/nix-darwin (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:31.877371+00:00, sha 3fcec3fcbf8f)
  - homepage: https://nix-darwin.org (fetched 2026-08-29T08:46:56.023957+00:00, sha 66f3d0160ca9)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.