guix/doc/manual/nix-pack-closure.xml
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2007-01-14 12:16:58 +00:00

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<refentry xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook"
xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
<refnamediv>
<refname>nix-pack-closure</refname>
<refpurpose>pack the closure of a store path into a single file that
can be unpacked with
<command>nix-unpack-closure</command></refpurpose>
</refnamediv>
<refsynopsisdiv>
<cmdsynopsis>
<command>nix-pack-closure</command>
<arg choice='plain' rep='repeat'><replaceable>paths</replaceable></arg>
</cmdsynopsis>
</refsynopsisdiv>
<refsection><title>Description</title>
<para>The command <command>nix-pack-closure</command> packs the
contents of the store paths <replaceable>paths</replaceable> and
<emphasis>all their dependencies</emphasis> into a single file, which
is written to standard output. (That is, it
<emphasis>serialises</emphasis> <replaceable>paths</replaceable>.)
The output can then be unpacked into the Nix store of another machine
using <command>nix-unpack-closure</command>.</para>
<para>Together, <command>nix-pack-closure</command> and
<command>nix-unpack-closure</command> provide a quick and easy way to
deploy a package to a different machine. However, as the output of
<command>nix-pack-closure</command> tends to be rather large (since it
contains all dependencies), its not very efficient.
<command>nix-push</command> and <command>nix-pull</command> are more
efficient, but are also a bit more cumbersome to use.</para>
</refsection>
<refsection><title>Examples</title>
<para>To copy some instance of Subversion with all its dependencies to
another machine:
<screen>
$ nix-pack-closure /nix/store/hj232g1r...-subversion-1.3.0 > svn.closure
<lineannotation>Copy <!-- !!! <filename> -->svn.closure to the remote machine, then on the remote machine do:</lineannotation>
$ nix-unpack-closure &lt; svn.closure</screen>
</para>
<para>Copy the program <command>azureus</command> with all its
dependencies to the machine <literal>scratchy</literal>:
<screen>
$ nix-pack-closure $(which azureus) | ssh scratchy nix-unpack-closure</screen>
</para>
<para>As a variation on the previous example, copy
<command>azureus</command>, and also install it in the users profile
on the target machine:
<screen>
$ nix-pack-closure $(which azureus) | ssh scratchy 'nix-env -i $(nix-unpack-closure)'</screen>
</para>
</refsection>
</refentry>