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diff --git a/doc/build-helpers.md b/doc/build-helpers.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..06737e16676 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/build-helpers.md @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ +# Build helpers {#part-builders} + +A build helper is a function that produces derivations. + +:::{.warning} +This is not to be confused with the [`builder` argument of the Nix `derivation` primitive](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/unstable/language/derivations.html), which refers to the executable that produces the build result, or [remote builder](https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/advanced-topics/distributed-builds.html), which refers to a remote machine that could run such an executable. +::: + +Such a function is usually designed to abstract over a typical workflow for a given programming language or framework. +This allows declaring a build recipe by setting a limited number of options relevant to the particular use case instead of using the `derivation` function directly. + +[`stdenv.mkDerivation`](#part-stdenv) is the most widely used build helper, and serves as a basis for many others. +In addition, it offers various options to customize parts of the builds. + +There is no uniform interface for build helpers. +[Trivial build helpers](#chap-trivial-builders) and [fetchers](#chap-pkgs-fetchers) have various input types for convenience. +[Language- or framework-specific build helpers](#chap-language-support) usually follow the style of `stdenv.mkDerivation`, which accepts an attribute set or a fixed-point function taking an attribute set. + +```{=include=} chapters +build-helpers/fetchers.chapter.md +build-helpers/trivial-build-helpers.chapter.md +build-helpers/testers.chapter.md +build-helpers/special.md +build-helpers/images.md +hooks/index.md +languages-frameworks/index.md +packages/index.md +``` |