# Contributing to the Nixpkgs manual
This directory houses the sources files for the Nixpkgs manual.
You can find the [rendered documentation for Nixpkgs `unstable` on nixos.org](https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/unstable/).
The rendering tool is [nixos-render-docs](../pkgs/tools/nix/nixos-render-docs/src/nixos_render_docs), sometimes abbreviated `nrd`.
[Docs for Nixpkgs stable](https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/) are also available.
If you're only getting started with Nix, go to [nixos.org/learn](https://nixos.org/learn).
## Contributing to this documentation
You can quickly check your edits with `nix-build`:
```ShellSession
$ cd /path/to/nixpkgs
$ nix-build doc
```
If the build succeeds, the manual will be in `./result/share/doc/nixpkgs/manual.html`.
### devmode
The shell in the manual source directory makes available a command, `devmode`.
It is a daemon, that:
1. watches the manual's source for changes and when they occur — rebuilds
2. HTTP serves the manual, injecting a script that triggers reload on changes
3. opens the manual in the default browser
## Syntax
As per [RFC 0072](https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/72), all new documentation content should be written in [CommonMark](https://commonmark.org/) Markdown dialect.
Additional syntax extensions are available, all of which can be used in NixOS option documentation. The following extensions are currently used:
#### Tables
Tables, using the [GitHub-flavored Markdown syntax](https://github.github.com/gfm/#tables-extension-).
#### Anchors
Explicitly defined **anchors** on headings, to allow linking to sections. These should be always used, to ensure the anchors can be linked even when the heading text changes, and to prevent conflicts between [automatically assigned identifiers](https://github.com/jgm/commonmark-hs/blob/master/commonmark-extensions/test/auto_identifiers.md).
It uses the widely compatible [header attributes](https://github.com/jgm/commonmark-hs/blob/master/commonmark-extensions/test/attributes.md) syntax:
```markdown
## Syntax {#sec-contributing-markup}
```
> **Note**
> NixOS option documentation does not support headings in general.
#### Inline Anchors
Allow linking arbitrary place in the text (e.g. individual list items, sentences…).
They are defined using a hybrid of the link syntax with the attributes syntax known from headings, called [bracketed spans](https://github.com/jgm/commonmark-hs/blob/master/commonmark-extensions/test/bracketed_spans.md):
```markdown
- []{#ssec-gnome-hooks-glib} `glib` setup hook will populate `GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH` and then `wrapGAppsHook` will prepend it to `XDG_DATA_DIRS`.
```
#### Automatic links
If you **omit a link text** for a link pointing to a section, the text will be substituted automatically. For example `[](#chap-contributing)`.
This syntax is taken from [MyST](https://myst-parser.readthedocs.io/en/latest/using/syntax.html#targets-and-cross-referencing).
#### Roles
If you want to link to a man page, you can use `` {manpage}`nix.conf(5)` ``. The references will turn into links when a mapping exists in [`doc/manpage-urls.json`](./manpage-urls.json).
A few markups for other kinds of literals are also available:
- `` {command}`rm -rfi` ``
- `` {env}`XDG_DATA_DIRS` ``
- `` {file}`/etc/passwd` ``
- `` {option}`networking.useDHCP` ``
- `` {var}`/etc/passwd` ``
These literal kinds are used mostly in NixOS option documentation.
This syntax is taken from [MyST](https://myst-parser.readthedocs.io/en/latest/syntax/syntax.html#roles-an-in-line-extension-point). Though, the feature originates from [reStructuredText](https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/restructuredtext/roles.html#role-manpage) with slightly different syntax.
#### Admonitions
Set off from the text to bring attention to something.
It uses pandoc’s [fenced `div`s syntax](https://github.com/jgm/commonmark-hs/blob/master/commonmark-extensions/test/fenced_divs.md):
```markdown
::: {.warning}
This is a warning
:::
```
The following are supported:
- [`caution`](https://tdg.docbook.org/tdg/5.0/caution.html)
- [`important`](https://tdg.docbook.org/tdg/5.0/important.html)
- [`note`](https://tdg.docbook.org/tdg/5.0/note.html)
- [`tip`](https://tdg.docbook.org/tdg/5.0/tip.html)
- [`warning`](https://tdg.docbook.org/tdg/5.0/warning.html)
#### [Definition lists](https://github.com/jgm/commonmark-hs/blob/master/commonmark-extensions/test/definition_lists.md)
For defining a group of terms:
```markdown
pear
: green or yellow bulbous fruit
watermelon
: green fruit with red flesh
```
## Commit conventions
- Make sure you read about the [commit conventions](../CONTRIBUTING.md#commit-conventions) common to Nixpkgs as a whole.
- If creating a commit purely for documentation changes, format the commit message in the following way:
```
doc: (documentation summary)
(Motivation for change, relevant links, additional information.)
```
Examples:
* doc: update the kernel config documentation to use `nix-shell`
* doc: add information about `nix-update-script`
Closes #216321.
- If the commit contains more than just documentation changes, follow the commit message format relevant for the rest of the changes.