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NixOS VS Just Install

Compare NixOS VS Just Install 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.

Just Install logo Just Install

just-install - The stupid package installer for Windows.
  • NixOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12
  • Just Install Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-29

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.

Just Install features and specs

  • Simple Installation
    Just Install simplifies the process of installing software by automating the download and installation steps, which can save users time and effort.
  • Wide Software Selection
    The tool provides access to a wide range of commonly used software, making it convenient for users to install multiple applications from a single platform.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, users can contribute to its development, review the source code for security, and customize the tool to meet specific needs.
  • Scriptable
    Just Install can be integrated into scripts for automated deployments, which is particularly useful for system administrators and IT professionals.
  • Minimalist Approach
    The tool focuses on simplicity and efficiency without unnecessary complexities, providing a streamlined user experience.

Possible disadvantages of Just Install

  • Limited to Windows
    Just Install is designed specifically for Windows operating systems, which limits its usability for users on macOS or Linux platforms.
  • Not Regularly Updated
    The repository is not frequently updated, so some software packages may become outdated or unavailable, which could pose compatibility or security issues.
  • Dependency Management
    The tool does not handle dependency resolution, meaning some software requiring specific dependencies may not function correctly after installation.
  • Lacks GUI
    Just Install operates via command-line interface, which may not be user-friendly for individuals who prefer graphical interfaces.
  • Community Support
    Given its open-source nature and niche user base, there is limited community support and official documentation, which might make troubleshooting more challenging.

Analysis of NixOS

Overall verdict

  • NixOS is a powerful and innovative Linux distribution that is particularly well-suited for users who value reproducibility, consistency, and advanced package management capabilities. However, its steep learning curve and unique approach might not make it the ideal choice for everyone, especially those new to Linux.

Why this product is good

  • NixOS is considered good by many due to its unique package management system and declarative configuration model. The entire system configuration can be described in a single file, making it easy to reproduce environments, roll back changes, or share setups. This is particularly appealing for developers and system administrators who require reliable, consistent, and reproducible environments. Additionally, NixOS's package manager, Nix, allows for handling multiple software versions without conflicts, providing a flexible and modular system.

Recommended for

  • Developers who need consistent and reproducible setups across different machines or environments
  • System administrators looking for advanced features in package management and system configuration
  • Users who are willing to invest time into learning NixOS's unique aspects and benefits
  • People interested in DevOps and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines

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

Just Install videos

No Just Install videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to NixOS and Just Install)
Front End Package Manager
Windows Tools
33 33%
67% 67
Package Manager
66 66%
34% 34
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0

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 Just Install

NixOS Reviews

The 10 Best Immutable Linux Distributions in 2024
Why itโ€™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 โ€œdependency hellโ€.

Just Install Reviews

We have no reviews of Just Install yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NixOS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 273 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 (273)

  • Frontend Mentor's Contact form challenge built with Elm
    I packaged my deployment script with Nix and Nix flakes then added it as a dependency in my devbox.json. When you enter the developer environment you have access to the deploy Bash script which I then wrapped up into app deploy. Previously, I would copy and paste all the Bash scripts I needed from past projects into my current project but this approach was much nicer. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • Hacking Haskell with Nix: Two Tricks
    If you are using Nix, you may have heard of Nix-Shell Shebang:. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Hacking with mdBook
    MdBook is a Rust-based tool to create Web-based books from vanilla Markdown files. Although it is quite minimalistic, you will bump into it quite often in the wild. Most notably, the Rust Book uses it. I see it quite often in the Nix ecosystem, too. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Haskell Project Template with Nix Flakes
    Haskell has been my go-to language for over 7 years. First, I started with Stack, then switched to plain Cabal and finally settled on Nix to provision a development environment for Haskell projects. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • 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 / 5 months ago
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Just Install mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Just Install yet. Tracking of Just Install recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing NixOS and Just Install, you can also consider the following products

GNU Guix - Like Nix but GNU.

Chocolatey - The sane way to manage software on Windows.

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS

Ninite - Ninite is the easiest way to install software.

asdf-vm - An extendable version manager

Scoop - A command-line installer for Windows