When Not to Nix: Working with External Config and SOPS Nix (nixcon2025)

Nix has got so many bells and whistles to meet most of the requirements, staying declarative with modularised setup to allow code reuse. However, this comes with a bit of a challenge for those who are starting the Nix journey -- it can be quite complex, or at least so does it seem. This talk focuses on some simpler approaches to use separate non-Nix files such as JSON, YAML and/or TOML for the configuration management. There are some gotchas around using file content, file as path, and potentially mixing and matching with Nix managed configs. The integration with other tools such as SOPS Nix will also be an interesting mix, where it is simpler to create a separate config file and substitute secret information with SOPS. Once you know the tools and solutions of not using Nix to get started, the Nix journey will be an easier one to get started with, and perhaps actually lead you to further Nix usage for areas where Nix language makes it easier. about this event: https://talks.nixcon.org/nixcon-2025/talk/CPF8EH/