Toggle diff (444 lines)
diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index f30faf257a..015c8c9736 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -228,15 +228,16 @@ Substitutes
Channels
+* Specifying Additional Channels:: Extending the package collection.
+* Using a Custom Guix Channel:: Using a customized Guix.
+* Replicating Guix:: Running the @emph{exact same} Guix.
* Channel Authentication:: How Guix verifies what it fetches.
-* Using a Custom Guix Channel:: Using a customized Guix.
-* Specifying Additional Channels:: Extending the package collection.
-* Declaring Channel Dependencies:: Declaring channel dependencies.
-* Package Modules in a Sub-directory:: Package Modules in a Sub-directory.
-* Specifying Channel Authorizations:: Specifying Channel Authorizations.
* Primary URL:: Distinguishing mirror to original.
+* Writing custom channels:: How to setup your own channel.
+* Package Modules in a Sub-directory:: Specifying the channel's package modules location.
+* Declaring Channel Dependencies:: How to depend on other channels.
+* Specifying Channel Authorizations:: Defining channel authors authorizations.
* Writing Channel News:: Communicating information to channel's users.
-* Replicating Guix:: Running the @emph{exact same} Guix.
Development
@@ -4216,20 +4217,135 @@ customized by defining @dfn{channels} in the
of a Git repository to be deployed, and @command{guix pull} can be instructed
to pull from one or more channels. In other words, channels can be used
to @emph{customize} and to @emph{extend} Guix, as we will see below.
-Before that, some security considerations.
+Guix is able to take into account security concerns and deal with authenticated
+updates.
@menu
+* Specifying Additional Channels:: Extending the package collection.
+* Using a Custom Guix Channel:: Using a customized Guix.
+* Replicating Guix:: Running the @emph{exact same} Guix.
* Channel Authentication:: How Guix verifies what it fetches.
-* Using a Custom Guix Channel:: Using a customized Guix.
-* Specifying Additional Channels:: Extending the package collection.
-* Declaring Channel Dependencies:: Declaring channel dependencies.
-* Package Modules in a Sub-directory:: Package Modules in a Sub-directory.
-* Specifying Channel Authorizations:: Specifying Channel Authorizations.
* Primary URL:: Distinguishing mirror to original.
+* Writing custom channels:: How to setup your own channel.
+* Package Modules in a Sub-directory:: Specifying the channel's package modules location.
+* Declaring Channel Dependencies:: How to depend on other channels.
+* Specifying Channel Authorizations:: Defining channel authors authorizations.
* Writing Channel News:: Communicating information to channel's users.
-* Replicating Guix:: Running the @emph{exact same} Guix.
@end menu
+@node Specifying Additional Channels
+@subsection Specifying Additional Channels
+
+@cindex extending the package collection (channels)
+@cindex variant packages (channels)
+You can specify @emph{additional channels} to pull from. To use a channel, write
+@code{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} to instruct @command{guix pull} to pull from it
+@emph{in addition} to the default Guix channel(s):
+
+@vindex %default-channels
+@lisp
+;; Add variant packages to those Guix provides.
+(cons (channel
+ (name 'variant-packages)
+ (url "https://example.org/variant-packages.git"))
+ %default-channels)
+@end lisp
+
+@noindent
+Note that the snippet above is (as always!)@: Scheme code; we use @code{cons} to
+add a channel the list of channels that the variable @code{%default-channels}
+is bound to (@pxref{Pairs, @code{cons} and lists,, guile, GNU Guile Reference
+Manual}). With this file in place, @command{guix pull} builds not only Guix
+but also the package modules from your own repository. The result in
+@file{~/.config/guix/current} is the union of Guix with your own package
+modules:
+
+@example
+$ guix pull --list-generations
+@dots{}
+Generation 19 Aug 27 2018 16:20:48
+ guix d894ab8
+ repository URL: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git
+ branch: master
+ commit: d894ab8e9bfabcefa6c49d9ba2e834dd5a73a300
+ variant-packages dd3df5e
+ repository URL: https://example.org/variant-packages.git
+ branch: master
+ commit: dd3df5e2c8818760a8fc0bd699e55d3b69fef2bb
+ 11 new packages: variant-gimp, variant-emacs-with-cool-features, @dots{}
+ 4 packages upgraded: emacs-racket-mode@@0.0.2-2.1b78827, @dots{}
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+The output of @command{guix pull} above shows that Generation@tie{}19 includes
+both Guix and packages from the @code{variant-personal-packages} channel. Among
+the new and upgraded packages that are listed, some like @code{variant-gimp} and
+@code{variant-emacs-with-cool-features} might come from
+@code{variant-packages}, while others come from the Guix default channel.
+
+@node Using a Custom Guix Channel
+@subsection Using a Custom Guix Channel
+
+The channel called @code{guix} specifies where Guix itself---its command-line
+tools as well as its package collection---should be downloaded. For instance,
+suppose you want to update from another copy of the Guix repository at
+@code{example.org}, and specifically the @code{super-hacks} branch, you can
+write in @code{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} this specification:
+
+@lisp
+;; Tell 'guix pull' to use another repo.
+(list (channel
+ (name 'guix)
+ (url "https://example.org/another-guix.git")
+ (branch "super-hacks")))
+@end lisp
+
+@noindent
+From there on, @command{guix pull} will fetch code from the @code{super-hacks}
+branch of the repository at @code{example.org}. The authentication concern is
+addressed below ((@pxref{Channel Authentication}).
+
+@node Replicating Guix
+@subsection Replicating Guix
+
+@cindex pinning, channels
+@cindex replicating Guix
+@cindex reproducibility, of Guix
+The @command{guix pull --list-generations} output above shows precisely which
+commits were used to build this instance of Guix. We can thus replicate it,
+say, on another machine, by providing a channel specification in
+@file{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} that is ``pinned'' to these commits:
+
+@lisp
+;; Deploy specific commits of my channels of interest.
+(list (channel
+ (name 'guix)
+ (url "https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git")
+ (commit "6298c3ffd9654d3231a6f25390b056483e8f407c"))
+ (channel
+ (name 'variant-packages)
+ (url "https://example.org/variant-packages.git")
+ (commit "dd3df5e2c8818760a8fc0bd699e55d3b69fef2bb")))
+@end lisp
+
+The @command{guix describe --format=channels} command can even generate this
+list of channels directly (@pxref{Invoking guix describe}). The resulting
+file can be used with the -C options of @command{guix pull}
+(@pxref{Invoking guix pull}) or @command{guix time-machine}
+(@pxref{Invoking guix time-machine}).
+
+At this point the two machines run the @emph{exact same Guix}, with access to
+the @emph{exact same packages}. The output of @command{guix build gimp} on
+one machine will be exactly the same, bit for bit, as the output of the same
+command on the other machine. It also means both machines have access to all
+the source code of Guix and, transitively, to all the source code of every
+package it defines.
+
+This gives you super powers, allowing you to track the provenance of binary
+artifacts with very fine grain, and to reproduce software environments at
+will---some sort of ``meta reproducibility'' capabilities, if you will.
+@xref{Inferiors}, for another way to take advantage of these super powers.
+
@node Channel Authentication
@subsection Channel Authentication
@@ -4248,8 +4364,8 @@ along these lines:
@lisp
(channel
- (name 'my-channel)
- (url "https://example.org/my-channel.git")
+ (name 'some-channel)
+ (url "https://example.org/some-channel.git")
(introduction
(make-channel-introduction
"6f0d8cc0d88abb59c324b2990bfee2876016bb86"
@@ -4270,40 +4386,41 @@ introduction from a trusted source since that is the root of your trust.
If you're curious about the authentication mechanics, read on!
-@node Using a Custom Guix Channel
-@subsection Using a Custom Guix Channel
+@cindex primary URL, channels
+@node Primary URL
+@subsection Primary URL
-The channel called @code{guix} specifies where Guix itself---its command-line
-tools as well as its package collection---should be downloaded. For instance,
-suppose you want to update from your own copy of the Guix repository at
-@code{example.org}, and specifically the @code{super-hacks} branch, you can
-write in @code{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} this specification:
+Channel authors can indicate the primary URL of their channel's Git
+repository in the @file{.guix-channel} file, like so:
@lisp
-;; Tell 'guix pull' to use my own repo.
-(list (channel
- (name 'guix)
- (url "https://example.org/my-guix.git")
- (branch "super-hacks")))
+(channel
+ (version 0)
+ (url "https://example.org/guix.git"))
@end lisp
-@noindent
-From there on, @command{guix pull} will fetch code from the @code{super-hacks}
-branch of the repository at @code{example.org}.
+This allows @command{guix pull} to determine whether it is pulling code
+from a mirror of the channel; when that is the case, it warns the user
+that the mirror might be stale and displays the primary URL. That way,
+users cannot be tricked into fetching code from a stale mirror that does
+not receive security updates.
-@node Specifying Additional Channels
-@subsection Specifying Additional Channels
+This feature only makes sense for authenticated repositories, such as
+the official @code{guix} channel, for which @command{guix pull} ensures
+the code it fetches is authentic.
-@cindex extending the package collection (channels)
@cindex personal packages (channels)
@cindex channels, for personal packages
-You can also specify @emph{additional channels} to pull from. Let's say you
-have a bunch of custom package variants or personal packages that you think
-would make little sense to contribute to the Guix project, but would like to
-have these packages transparently available to you at the command line. You
-would first write modules containing those package definitions (@pxref{Package
-Modules}), maintain them in a Git repository, and then you and anyone else can
-use it as an additional channel to get packages from. Neat, no?
+@node Writing custom channels
+@subsection Writing custom channels
+
+Let's say you have a bunch of custom package variants or personal packages
+that you think would make little sense to contribute to the Guix project, but
+would like to have these packages transparently available to you at the
+command line. You would first write modules containing those package
+definitions (@pxref{Package Modules}), maintain them in a Git repository, and
+then you and anyone else can use it as an additional channel to get packages
+from. Neat, no?
@c What follows stems from discussions at
@c <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=22629#134> as well as
@@ -4342,51 +4459,6 @@ share your improvements, which are basic tenets of
email us at @email{guix-devel@@gnu.org} if you'd like to discuss this.
@end quotation
-To use a channel, write @code{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} to instruct
-@command{guix pull} to pull from it @emph{in addition} to the default Guix
-channel(s):
-
-@vindex %default-channels
-@lisp
-;; Add my personal packages to those Guix provides.
-(cons (channel
- (name 'my-personal-packages)
- (url "https://example.org/personal-packages.git"))
- %default-channels)
-@end lisp
-
-@noindent
-Note that the snippet above is (as always!)@: Scheme code; we use @code{cons} to
-add a channel the list of channels that the variable @code{%default-channels}
-is bound to (@pxref{Pairs, @code{cons} and lists,, guile, GNU Guile Reference
-Manual}). With this file in place, @command{guix pull} builds not only Guix
-but also the package modules from your own repository. The result in
-@file{~/.config/guix/current} is the union of Guix with your own package
-modules:
-
-@example
-$ guix pull --list-generations
-@dots{}
-Generation 19 Aug 27 2018 16:20:48
- guix d894ab8
- repository URL: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git
- branch: master
- commit: d894ab8e9bfabcefa6c49d9ba2e834dd5a73a300
- my-personal-packages dd3df5e
- repository URL: https://example.org/personal-packages.git
- branch: master
- commit: dd3df5e2c8818760a8fc0bd699e55d3b69fef2bb
- 11 new packages: my-gimp, my-emacs-with-cool-features, @dots{}
- 4 packages upgraded: emacs-racket-mode@@0.0.2-2.1b78827, @dots{}
-@end example
-
-@noindent
-The output of @command{guix pull} above shows that Generation@tie{}19 includes
-both Guix and packages from the @code{my-personal-packages} channel. Among
-the new and upgraded packages that are listed, some like @code{my-gimp} and
-@code{my-emacs-with-cool-features} might come from
-@code{my-personal-packages}, while others come from the Guix default channel.
-
To create a channel, create a Git repository containing your own package
modules and make it available. The repository can contain anything, but a
useful channel will contain Guile modules that export packages. Once you
@@ -4398,6 +4470,24 @@ module, then the module will be available under the name @code{(my-packages
my-tools)}, and you will be able to use it like any other module
(@pxref{Modules,,, guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}).
+Last, as a channel author, you may want to run an authenticated channel
+(@pxref{Channel Authentication}), then @pxref{Specifying Channel
+Authorizations} for details.
+
+@cindex subdirectory, channels
+@node Package Modules in a Sub-directory
+@subsection Package Modules in a Sub-directory
+
+As a channel author, you may want to keep your channel modules in a
+sub-directory. If your modules are in the sub-directory @file{guix}, you must
+add a meta-data file @file{.guix-channel} that contains:
+
+@lisp
+(channel
+ (version 0)
+ (directory "guix"))
+@end lisp
+
@cindex dependencies, channels
@cindex meta-data, channels
@node Declaring Channel Dependencies
@@ -4415,7 +4505,7 @@ The meta-data file should contain a simple S-expression like this:
(version 0)
(dependencies
(channel
- (name some-collection)
+ (name 'some-collection)
(url "https://example.org/first-collection.git")
;; The 'introduction' bit below is optional: you would
@@ -4426,7 +4516,7 @@ The meta-data file should contain a simple S-expression like this:
(commit "a8883b58dc82e167c96506cf05095f37c2c2c6cd")
(signer "CABB A931 C0FF EEC6 900D 0CFB 090B 1199 3D9A EBB5"))))
(channel
- (name some-other-collection)
+ (name 'some-other-collection)
(url "https://example.org/second-collection.git")
(branch "testing"))))
@end lisp
@@ -4440,20 +4530,6 @@ For the sake of reliability and maintainability, you should avoid dependencies
on channels that you don't control, and you should aim to keep the number of
dependencies to a minimum.
-@cindex subdirectory, channels
-@node Package Modules in a Sub-directory
-@subsection Package Modules in a Sub-directory
-
-As a channel author, you may want to keep your channel modules in a
-sub-directory. If your modules are in the sub-directory @file{guix}, you must
-add a meta-data file @file{.guix-channel} that contains:
-
-@lisp
-(channel
- (version 0)
- (directory "guix"))
-@end lisp
-
@cindex channel authorizations
@node Specifying Channel Authorizations
@subsection Specifying Channel Authorizations
@@ -4555,29 +4631,6 @@ authentication! Pay attention to merges in particular: merge commits
are considered authentic if and only if they are signed by a key present
in the @file{.guix-authorizations} file of @emph{both} branches.
-@cindex primary URL, channels
-@node Primary URL
-@subsection Primary URL
-
-Channel authors can indicate the primary URL of their channel's Git
-repository in the @file{.guix-channel} file, like so:
-
-@lisp
-(channel
- (version 0)
- (url "https://example.org/guix.git"))
-@end lisp
-
-This allows @command{guix pull} to determine whether it is pulling code
-from a mirror of the channel; when that is the case, it warns the user
-that the mirror might be stale and displays the primary URL. That way,
-users cannot be tricked into fetching code from a stale mirror that does
-not receive security updates.
-
-This feature only makes sense for authenticated repositories, such as
-the official @code{guix} channel, for which @command{guix pull} ensures
-the code it fetches is authentic.
-
@cindex news, for channels
@node Writing Channel News
@subsection Writing Channel News
@@ -4647,47 +4700,6 @@ xgettext -o news.po -l scheme -ken etc/news.txt
To sum up, yes, you could use your channel as a blog. But beware, this
is @emph{not quite} what your users might expect.
-@node Replicating Guix
-@subsection Replicating Guix
-
-@cindex pinning, channels
-@cindex replicating Guix
-@cindex reproducibility, of Guix
-The @command{guix pull --list-generations} output above shows precisely which
-commits were used to build this instance of Guix. We can thus replicate it,
-say, on another machine, by providing a channel specification in
-@file{~/.config/guix/channels.scm} that is ``pinned'' to these commits:
-
-@lisp
-;; Deploy specific commits of my channels of interest.
-(list (channel
- (name 'guix)
- (url "https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git")
- (commit "6298c3ffd9654d3231a6f25390b056483e8f407c"))
- (channel
- (name 'my-personal-packages)
- (url "https://example.org/personal-packages.git")
- (commit "dd3df5e2c8818760a8fc0bd699e55d3b69fef2bb")))
-@end lisp
-
-The @command{guix describe --format=channels} command can even generate this
-list of channels directly (@pxref{Invoking guix describe}). The resulting
-file can be used with the -C options of @command{guix pull}
-(@pxref{Invoking guix pull}) or @command{guix time-machine}
-(@pxref{Invoking guix time-machine}).
-
-At this point the two machines run the @emph{exact same Guix}, with access to
-the @emph{exact same packages}. The output of @command{guix build gimp} on
-one machine will be exactly the same, bit for bit, as the output of the same
-command on the other machine. It also means both machines have access to all
-the source code of Guix and, transitively, to all the source code of every
-package it defines.
-
-This gives you super powers, allowing you to track the provenance of binary
-artifacts with very fine grain, and to reproduce software environments at
-will---some sort of ``meta reproducibility'' capabilities, if you will.
-@xref{Inferiors}, for another way to take advantage of these super powers.
-
@node Invoking guix time-machine
@section Invoking @command{guix time-machine}
--
2.28.0
