NLPM

NLPM is an experimental package manager for independently updated nixpkgs leaf packages. It keeps a declarative user manifest, realizes each package separately, roots successful generations, and atomically activates one aggregate environment.

The included catalogue currently demonstrates:

• ripgrep — CLI package (rg)
• warzone2100 — graphical application
• fallback-demo — hidden test fixture whose broken unstable candidate falls back to stable GNU Hello

Build

cargo build --workspace

Nix 2.18 or newer with flakes is required at runtime. The repository flake pins independent unstable and stable nixpkgs inputs.

Try it

cargo run -p nlpm-cli -- --catalogue . init
cargo run -p nlpm-cli -- --catalogue . add ripgrep
cargo run -p nlpm-cli -- --catalogue . add fallback-demo
cargo run -p nlpm-cli -- --catalogue . list
cargo run -p nlpm-cli -- --catalogue . status

NLPM uses XDG directories. The aggregate profile is exposed at $XDG_DATA_HOME/nlpm/profile; source integration/shell/nlpm.sh to add it to PATH and XDG_DATA_DIRS.

Use --json with any command for the versioned machine-readable result.

Safety model

• Candidate builds run one package at a time through structured Nix CLI calls.
• source = "auto" tries unstable first.
• If unstable fails, a still-rooted unstable generation newer than stable is retained instead of downgraded.
• Otherwise stable is attempted, and a prior working generation is retained if both candidates fail.
• Aggregate activation is an atomic symlink switch; package and environment outputs are independent GC roots.

Run unit tests with cargo test --workspace. tests/integration/smoke.sh performs a real isolated-XDG install/remove cycle for ripgrep and therefore may download Nix store paths.