Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

NixOS VS Bedrock Linux

Compare NixOS VS Bedrock Linux and see what are their differences

NixOS logo 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.

Bedrock Linux logo Bedrock Linux

A meta Linux distribution which allows users to utilize features from other, typically mutually...
  • NixOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12
  • Bedrock Linux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-15

NixOS features and specs

  • Reproducibility
    NixOS ensures that the system configuration is entirely reproducible. Every package, configuration file, and system setting is defined in a single, declarative configuration file, enabling easy recreation of the environment on different machines or after clean installs.
  • Atomic Upgrades & Rollbacks
    Upgrades in NixOS are atomic, meaning they either complete successfully or not at all. Additionally, it is easy to rollback to previous configurations if something goes wrong, which adds a significant safety net during system updates.
  • Isolated Environments
    NixOS supports creating isolated development environments, preventing dependency conflicts and allowing developers to work with different versions of packages comfortably.
  • Package Management
    Nix, the package manager of NixOS, allows for the installation of multiple versions of the same software simultaneously without conflicts, facilitating experimentation and development.
  • Declarative Configuration
    All aspects of the NixOS system are configurable using a declarative language, making it easier to understand, share, and reproduce configurations compared to imperative setups.

Possible disadvantages of NixOS

  • Learning Curve
    NixOS and its package manager Nix have a steep learning curve, especially for users who are new to its declarative approach. Mastery requires a willingness to adopt a new mindset and learn new concepts.
  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more mainstream Linux distributions, NixOS has a smaller user and developer community, which can lead to fewer resources, tutorials, and community support options available for problem-solving.
  • Package Availability
    While Nixpkgs is extensive, there are occasions where certain packages may not be available or may not have the latest versions, requiring users to create their own packages or wait for updates.
  • Performance Overheads
    The guarantee of reproducibility and isolation can introduce performance overheads in some scenarios, particularly when dealing with build processes that have not been specifically optimized for Nix.
  • System Configuration Complexity
    The ability to configure everything declaratively can lead to complex and lengthy configuration files, which can be daunting and hard to manage as the complexity of the environment increases.

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.

NixOS videos

First Impression of the NixOS Installation Procedure

More videos:

  • Review - Introduction to NixOS - Brownbag by Geoffrey Huntley
  • Review - NixOS 18.03 - A Configuration-focused GNU+Linux Distro

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 NixOS and Bedrock Linux)
Front End Package Manager
Linux
48 48%
52% 52
Package Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Linux Distribution
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare NixOS and Bedrock Linux

NixOS Reviews

The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
Why it’s on the list: NixOS uses the Nix package manager, which treats packages as isolated from each other. This unique approach to package management virtually eliminates “dependency hell”.

Bedrock Linux Reviews

We have no reviews of Bedrock Linux yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NixOS should be more popular than Bedrock Linux. It has been mentiond 269 times since March 2021. 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.

NixOS mentions (269)

  • SDK-Driven Development: A Litmus Test for Good Software Design
    Also for systems administration and DevOps, I first used Ansible to streamline the management of our servers. Writing playbooks is OK, but going beyond that to convert them to roles is a good practice from collaboration perspective. This SDK approach worked quite well for me and my team. Now, I am developing NixOS modules for various services we deploy. In both cases, the goal is to compose well-defined and... - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • Why and How to Patch a Python Package in Nix
    I bumped into an annoying issue today while upgrading my Python dependencies in a codebase. And I thought it would be a good idea to share the solution with you. Thanks to Nix for making this kind of fix so straightforward. - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
  • Nix Flake Templates
    I am actively using Nix from my workstation setup to development environments, from Docker image builds to CI/CD pipelines, and even on production servers. One of the themes that comes up often is provisioning a codebase, a development environment and packaging configuration for a new project. - Source: dev.to / 12 days ago
  • Show HN: Node.js video tutorials where you can edit and run the code
    I'd love to create some Nix (https://nixos.org/) content. - Source: Hacker News / 25 days ago
  • 20 years of Git. Still weird, still wonderful
    NixOS may end up being "the last OS I ever use" (especially now that gaming is viable on it): https://nixos.org/ Check it out. The whitepaper's a fairly digestible read, too, and may get you excited about the whole concept (which is VERY different from how things are normally done, but ends up giving you guarantees). - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
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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 NixOS and Bedrock Linux, you can also consider the following products

GNU Guix - Like Nix but GNU.

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS

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.

asdf-vm - An extendable version manager

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

Flatpak - Flatpak is the new framework for desktop applications on Linux