nix-darwin System Configuration

Flake Inputs

1. •In nixpkgs already? Just use pkgs.tool
2. •Depends on nixpkgs? Add inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"
3. •Not a flake (just source)? Use flake = false

tool-flake.url = "github:owner/tool";
tool-flake.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";

tool-src = { url = "github:owner/tool"; flake = false; };

Host Files

Each host is self-contained at hosts/<name>.nix. To add a tool, add (pkg "tool") to both files.

macOS System Defaults

Configured in modules/darwin/system/default.nix. Use the NixOS MCP to look up options:

mcp__nixos__nix(action="search", source="darwin", type="options", query="system.defaults.<area>")

Key areas: system.defaults.dock, system.defaults.finder, system.defaults.NSGlobalDomain, system.defaults.trackpad, system.keyboard.

Gotchas

• •git add new files before nix flake check — untracked files are invisible to flakes
• •system.stateVersion — do not change without reading darwin-rebuild changelog
• •CustomUserPreferences for per-user domains (trackpad gestures, symbolic hotkeys)