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GNU Guix VS Bedrock Linux

Compare GNU Guix VS Bedrock Linux and see what are their differences

GNU Guix logo GNU Guix

Like Nix but GNU.

Bedrock Linux logo Bedrock Linux

A meta Linux distribution which allows users to utilize features from other, typically mutually...
  • GNU Guix Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-26
  • Bedrock Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-15

GNU Guix features and specs

  • Reproducibility
    GNU Guix emphasizes reproducible builds, ensuring that the same package can be built in the same way across different environments, enhancing reliability and consistency.
  • Declarative System Configuration
    Guix allows users to describe their entire system configuration in a declarative manner, making it easier to reproduce and share system environments.
  • Rollback Capabilities
    Guix supports rollbacks, allowing users to revert their system to previous states easily, which is useful for undoing updates or changes that cause issues.
  • Functional Package Management
    Guix uses a functional approach to package management, meaning packages do not interfere with each other and dependencies are handled more cleanly.
  • Free Software Focus
    Being a GNU project, Guix only includes free software, aligning with the principles of the Free Software Foundation and offering a system free from proprietary software.

Possible disadvantages of GNU Guix

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its unique approach and advanced features, GNU Guix has a steeper learning curve compared to more traditional package managers and might be challenging for beginners.
  • Smaller Ecosystem
    The ecosystem and community around Guix are relatively smaller compared to more established systems, which can mean fewer available packages and community resources.
  • Installation Complexity
    Setting up GNU Guix can be more complex and time-consuming than other package managers or Linux distributions, which might discourage new users.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Guix's focus on free software can lead to compatibility issues with proprietary software or certain hardware that requires non-free drivers or firmware.
  • Performance Overhead
    The functional approach used by Guix can introduce performance overhead, as each package operation might involve additional steps compared to traditional package managers.

Bedrock Linux features and specs

  • Flexibility
    Bedrock Linux allows users to mix and match components from different distributions, providing the flexibility to use specific tools or environments from various Linux distributions simultaneously.
  • Package Availability
    By integrating multiple distributions, Bedrock Linux users can access a wide variety of packages and software, potentially overcoming limitations or gaps present in a single distribution's repository.
  • Customization
    Users have the freedom to customize their systems extensively, choosing the best components from each distribution to suit their needs and preferences.
  • Reduced Compatibility Issues
    With the ability to draw packages from several distributions, Bedrock Linux can reduce compatibility problems between software by choosing the distribution where the package functions best.

Possible disadvantages of Bedrock Linux

  • Complexity
    The flexibility of using multiple distributions can increase system complexity, which may be challenging for less experienced users to manage effectively.
  • Potential for Conflicts
    Mixing components from different Linux distributions can lead to conflicts and unexpected behavior, requiring advanced troubleshooting skills to resolve.
  • Learning Curve
    Users may face a steep learning curve when first setting up and configuring Bedrock Linux, as it requires familiarity with multiple distributions and their package management systems.
  • Limited Community Support
    As a less common choice compared to mainstream Linux distributions, Bedrock Linux may have a smaller community, potentially limiting the availability of community support and resources.
  • Stability Concerns
    The combination of elements from diverse distributions might affect system stability, as components are not always designed to work together seamlessly in a single environment.

GNU Guix videos

My crush on GNU Guix

More videos:

  • Review - Building a whole distro on top of a minimalistic language The story of GNU Guix
  • Tutorial - How to Install GNU Guix System 1.1.0 + Review

Bedrock Linux videos

Bedrock Linux: All the distros!

More videos:

  • Review - Introducing Bedrock Linux | Linux Action Show 316
  • Demo - Bedrock Linux 1.0alpha1 Demonstration

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GNU Guix and Bedrock Linux)
Front End Package Manager
Linux
25 25%
75% 75
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Linux Distribution
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

GNU Guix might be a bit more popular than Bedrock Linux. We know about 92 links to it since March 2021 and only 79 links to Bedrock Linux. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GNU Guix mentions (92)

  • The Most Elegant Configuration Language
    And then see how it's done in real life: https://guix.gnu.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Douglas Hofstadter on Lisp (1983)
    Guix is a Nix-like package manager and distro that is almost entirely written in Guile Scheme: https://guix.gnu.org/ I would guess it's by far the most active Guile project. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Pkl, a Programming Language for Configuration
    > So what we are missing now is a 500GB framework that can write the config file for the programming language that is writing a config file for the actual program I wish to use. That exists since 1960. It's called LISP. The e.g. https://guix.gnu.org/ uses with great success, the Guile Scheme dialect of LISP, to be precise. And FYI the "framework" is:
      $ ls --human-readable --size $(readlink $(which...
    - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • NixOS: Declarative Builds and Deployments
    > inventing a brand new purely functional language programming language. ISTM that if you dislike that, then there's GUIX. https://guix.gnu.org/ Very briefly, AFAICT, it's "Nix but using Scheme". - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Linux saved my life
    And just wait till you discover Arch Linux, Gentoo, Guix, or NixOS. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Bedrock Linux mentions (79)

  • Warm Welcome to Linux P2
    Some break out of the mold like portable applications, NixOS packages, and Bedrock Linux. These can further be added on top of the base OSs, and theoretically, on top of source-based distros as well. Having choices like these open up routes to more degrees of freedom. It can also be a double-edged sword for non-experienced users. Experience is the best teacher. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Chimera Linux
    Related: https://bedrocklinux.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Waveterm
    Back when I used a debian based distribution I made use of https://bedrocklinux.org/ to make use of the AUR. It's not for everyone though. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Statically built Nix on Alpine Linux #6751 (2022)
    Now this is interesting... Apparently it is possible to run Nix AKA "The Nix Package Manager" on Alpine -- despite the fact that Alpine is Busybox and Musl based and NixOS is Coreutils and Glibc based! Well done Nix engineers and contributors! (I may switch to Alpine w/Nix Package Manager in the future, depending on how well it works!) Related: Bedrock Linux: https://bedrocklinux.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Egg⛩️🐧irl
    Sure, just install Bedrock Linux and add the Arch stratum on top. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GNU Guix and Bedrock Linux, you can also consider the following products

NixOS - 25 Jun 2014 . All software components in NixOS are installed using the Nix package manager. Packages in Nix are defined using the nix language to create nix expressions.

Conda - Binary package manager with support for environments.

Arch Linux - You've reached the website for Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible Linux® distribution that tries to Keep It Simple. Currently we have official packages optimized for the x86-64 architecture.

Docker - Docker is an open platform that enables developers and system administrators to create distributed applications.

Rocky Linux - A new enterprise ready OS to carry the torch after the recent CentOS announcement.

pkgsrc - pkgsrc is a framework for building over 17,000 open source software packages.