Ansible
IT automation and configuration management tool using simple YAML playbooks and agentless execution
NixOps
Declarative multi-cloud deployment for NixOS machines
NixOps lets you declaratively define, test, and deploy NixOS systems across AWS, Hetzner, GCE, VirtualBox, and libvirt, with plugin extensibility and separation of logical and physical configuration.
Overview
Highlights
Declarative configuration ensures reproducible deployments
Local testing on VirtualBox or libvirtd before production
Multi‑cloud support for AWS, Hetzner, and GCE
Extensible plugin architecture for custom back‑ends
Pros
- Strong integration with the NixOS ecosystem
- Allows safe pre‑production testing
- Supports several major cloud providers
- Plugin system enables tailored extensions
Considerations
- Low‑maintenance mode; not ideal for brand‑new projects
- Limited to a small set of cloud providers
- Requires familiarity with Nix language and tooling
- Active development has shifted to the nixops4 rewrite
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Fit guide
Great for
- Teams already using NixOS for their servers
- Projects that need reproducible multi‑cloud deployments
- Users who want to validate infrastructure locally
- Organizations able to maintain custom plugins
Not ideal when
- New projects starting without Nix experience
- Teams that require a actively maintained toolchain
- Deployments to cloud providers not listed above
- Users looking for a turnkey, no‑code solution
How teams use it
Cross‑provider web service cluster
Deploy identical service definitions to AWS and Hetzner, ensuring consistent configuration across regions.
Pre‑production validation
Run the full deployment in VirtualBox to catch configuration errors before touching production clouds.
ARM image generation
Use NixOps cross‑compilation to build images for ARM devices alongside x86_64 builds.
Custom backend integration
Create a plugin that talks to a private cloud API, extending NixOps beyond the built‑in providers.
Tech snapshot
Python89%
Nix11%
Shell1%
Frequently asked questions
Is NixOps still actively maintained?
It is in low‑maintenance mode; new development is happening in the nixops4 project.
Which cloud providers does NixOps support?
AWS, Hetzner, Google Compute Engine, and local hypervisors such as VirtualBox and libvirtd.
How can I test a deployment before production?
Use the built‑in testable feature to run the deployment on VirtualBox or libvirtd.
Can I add my own deployment backend?
Yes, NixOps provides a plugin infrastructure for custom back‑ends.
What is the recommended way to install the latest version?
Run `nix-shell -p nixopsUnstable` to get the bleeding‑edge build from nixpkgs.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 2,100
- Watchers
- 2,100
- Forks
- 368
LicenseLGPL-3.0
Repo age14 years old
Last commit3 weeks ago
Primary languagePython
Last synced 2 hours ago