NixOS

The flake includes an experimental Gnoblin path for x86_64 Linux. No NixOS channel has completed the full support gate. See platform support before installing.

Stable channels

The default flake package follows Nixpkgs unstable. NixOS 25.05 and 25.11 do not currently have installable packages: 25.05 lacks libglycin and multiple GNOME 51 dependencies, while 25.11 also lacks several required dependency floors.

NixOS 26.05 has an experimental package and module. It builds Wayland 1.26 and the matching scanner privately for Gnoblin's Mutter; neither package replaces the host Wayland or stock GNOME. The complete pinned Gnoblin package output builds, including Shell and its runtime closure.

Login, GNOME coexistence, and removal have not passed. Treat this as a test path, not supported session installation. Its separate module is inputs.gnoblin.nixosModules.nixos_26_05 and selects inputs.gnoblin.packages.x86_64-linux.gnoblin-nixos-26_05.

The flake exposes the exact pinned-channel assessment for integrators:

nix eval --json github:kierandrewett/gnoblin#lib.nixChannelEvaluations.x86_64-linux

lib.nixChannelPackages names each channel explicitly. For example, the following reports why 25.11 cannot be installed:

nix build github:kierandrewett/gnoblin#lib.nixChannelPackages.x86_64-linux.nixos_25_11

Each stable entry stops before installation and prints its recorded blockers. It does not fall back to the unstable package or replace your system libraries.

1. Add the flake input

In your existing flake.nix:

inputs.gnoblin.url = "github:kierandrewett/gnoblin";

This keeps Gnoblin's own pinned Nixpkgs input. If your system already uses a compatible unstable revision, you can add inputs.gnoblin.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";.

2. Enable the module

Add these entries to your host's nixosSystem definition, where inputs is the set of flake inputs:

modules = [
  inputs.gnoblin.nixosModules.default
  ./configuration.nix
  { programs.gnoblin.enable = true; }
];

Keep your existing display manager. If you have none, enable GDM in configuration.nix:

services.displayManager.gdm.enable = true;

3. Rebuild and test the session

From your system configuration directory, run your usual rebuild command:

sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .

Install a shell, then log out and select Gnoblin. The NixOS 26.05 path has not passed login, coexistence or removal, so return to your existing session if it does not start. Continue with configuration only after it reaches a usable desktop.

Update or remove

Update the flake input and rebuild to update Gnoblin. Log out and in afterward.

To remove it, remove the Gnoblin module and enable option, then rebuild. Gnoblin's private runtime does not replace the GNOME packages in your system.