nixos-anywhere

# nixos-anywhere

**_Install NixOS everywhere via ssh_**

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nix-community/nixos-anywhere/main/docs/logo.svg" width="150" height="150">

[Documentation Index](docs/INDEX.md)

## README

Setting up a new machine is time-consuming, and becomes complicated when it
needs to be done remotely. If you're installing NixOS, the **nixos-anywhere**
tool allows you to pre-configure the whole process including:

- Disk partitioning and formatting
- Configuring and installing NixOS
- Installing additional files and software

You can then initiate an unattended installation with a single CLI command.
Since **nixos-anywhere** can access the new machine using SSH, it's ideal for
remote installations.

Once you have initiated the command, there is no need to 'babysit' the
installation. It all happens automatically.

You can use the stored configuration to repeat the same installation if you need
to.

## Overview

If you have machines on a mix of platforms, you'll need a common installation
solution that works anywhere. **nixos-anywhere** is ideal in this situation.

**nixos-anywhere** can be used equally well for cloud servers, bare metal
servers such as Hetzner, and local servers accessible via a LAN. You can create
standard configurations, and use the same configuration to create identical
servers anywhere.

You first create Nix configurations to specify partitioning, formatting and
NixOS configurations. Further options can be controlled by a flake and by
run-time switches.

Once the configuration has been created, a single command will:

- Connect to the remote server via SSH
- Detect whether a NixOS installer is present; if not, it will use the Linux
  `kexec` tool to boot into a Nixos installer.
- Use the [disko](https://github.com/nix-community/disko) tool to partition and
  format the hard drive
- Install NixOS
- Optionally install any Nix packages and other software required.
- Optionally copy additional files to the new machine

It's also possible to use **nixos-anywhere** to simplify the installation on a
machine that has no current operating system, first booting from a NixOS
installer image. This feature is described in the
[how-to guide](./docs/howtos/no-os.md#installing-on-a-machine-with-no-operating-system).
It's useful because you can pre-configure your required software and
preferences, and build the new machine with a single command.

**Important Note:** Never use a production server as the target. It will be
completely overwritten and all data lost. This tool should only be used for
commissioning a new computer or repurposing an old machine once all important
data has been migrated.

## Prerequisites

- Source Machine:

  - Can be any machine with Nix installed, e.g. a NixOS machine.

- Target Machine:

  - Unless you're using the option to boot from a NixOS installer image, or
    providing your own `kexec` image, it must be running x86-64 Linux with kexec
    support. Most `x86_64` Linux systems do have