diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi index ef23701066..782c681cf1 100644 --- a/doc/guix.texi +++ b/doc/guix.texi @@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ Project}. * Documentation:: Browsing software user manuals. * Installing Debugging Files:: Feeding the debugger. * Security Updates:: Deploying security fixes quickly. -* Package Modules:: Packages from the programmer's viewpoint. * Bootstrapping:: GNU/Linux built from scratch. * Porting:: Targeting another platform or kernel. * Contributing:: Your help needed! @@ -188,6 +187,7 @@ Substitutes Programming Interface +* Package Modules:: Packages from the programmer's viewpoint. * Defining Packages:: Defining new packages. * Build Systems:: Specifying how packages are built. * The Store:: Manipulating the package store. @@ -4437,6 +4437,7 @@ This chapter describes all these APIs in turn, starting from high-level package definitions. @menu +* Package Modules:: Packages from the programmer's viewpoint. * Defining Packages:: Defining new packages. * Build Systems:: Specifying how packages are built. * The Store:: Manipulating the package store. @@ -4446,6 +4447,68 @@ package definitions. * Invoking guix repl:: Fiddling with Guix interactively. @end menu +@node Package Modules +@section Package Modules + +From a programming viewpoint, the package definitions of the +GNU distribution are provided by Guile modules in the @code{(gnu packages +@dots{})} name space@footnote{Note that packages under the @code{(gnu +packages @dots{})} module name space are not necessarily ``GNU +packages''. This module naming scheme follows the usual Guile module +naming convention: @code{gnu} means that these modules are distributed +as part of the GNU system, and @code{packages} identifies modules that +define packages.} (@pxref{Modules, Guile modules,, guile, GNU Guile +Reference Manual}). For instance, the @code{(gnu packages emacs)} +module exports a variable named @code{emacs}, which is bound to a +@code{} object (@pxref{Defining Packages}). + +The @code{(gnu packages @dots{})} module name space is +automatically scanned for packages by the command-line tools. For +instance, when running @code{guix package -i emacs}, all the @code{(gnu +packages @dots{})} modules are scanned until one that exports a package +object whose name is @code{emacs} is found. This package search +facility is implemented in the @code{(gnu packages)} module. + +@cindex customization, of packages +@cindex package module search path +Users can store package definitions in modules with different +names---e.g., @code{(my-packages emacs)}@footnote{Note that the file +name and module name must match. For instance, the @code{(my-packages +emacs)} module must be stored in a @file{my-packages/emacs.scm} file +relative to the load path specified with @option{--load-path} or +@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH}. @xref{Modules and the File System,,, +guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}, for details.}. There are two ways to make +these package definitions visible to the user interfaces: + +@enumerate +@item +By adding the directory containing your package modules to the search path +with the @code{-L} flag of @command{guix package} and other commands +(@pxref{Common Build Options}), or by setting the @code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH} +environment variable described below. + +@item +By defining a @dfn{channel} and configuring @command{guix pull} so that it +pulls from it. A channel is essentially a Git repository containing package +modules. @xref{Channels}, for more information on how to define and use +channels. +@end enumerate + +@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH} works similarly to other search path variables: + +@defvr {Environment Variable} GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH +This is a colon-separated list of directories to search for additional +package modules. Directories listed in this variable take precedence +over the own modules of the distribution. +@end defvr + +The distribution is fully @dfn{bootstrapped} and @dfn{self-contained}: +each package is built based solely on other packages in the +distribution. The root of this dependency graph is a small set of +@dfn{bootstrap binaries}, provided by the @code{(gnu packages +bootstrap)} module. For more information on bootstrapping, +@pxref{Bootstrapping}. + @node Defining Packages @section Defining Packages @@ -24106,69 +24169,6 @@ lsof | grep /gnu/store/.*bash @end example -@node Package Modules -@chapter Package Modules - -From a programming viewpoint, the package definitions of the -GNU distribution are provided by Guile modules in the @code{(gnu packages -@dots{})} name space@footnote{Note that packages under the @code{(gnu -packages @dots{})} module name space are not necessarily ``GNU -packages''. This module naming scheme follows the usual Guile module -naming convention: @code{gnu} means that these modules are distributed -as part of the GNU system, and @code{packages} identifies modules that -define packages.} (@pxref{Modules, Guile modules,, guile, GNU Guile -Reference Manual}). For instance, the @code{(gnu packages emacs)} -module exports a variable named @code{emacs}, which is bound to a -@code{} object (@pxref{Defining Packages}). - -The @code{(gnu packages @dots{})} module name space is -automatically scanned for packages by the command-line tools. For -instance, when running @code{guix package -i emacs}, all the @code{(gnu -packages @dots{})} modules are scanned until one that exports a package -object whose name is @code{emacs} is found. This package search -facility is implemented in the @code{(gnu packages)} module. - -@cindex customization, of packages -@cindex package module search path -Users can store package definitions in modules with different -names---e.g., @code{(my-packages emacs)}@footnote{Note that the file -name and module name must match. For instance, the @code{(my-packages -emacs)} module must be stored in a @file{my-packages/emacs.scm} file -relative to the load path specified with @option{--load-path} or -@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH}. @xref{Modules and the File System,,, -guile, GNU Guile Reference Manual}, for details.}. There are two ways to make -these package definitions visible to the user interfaces: - -@enumerate -@item -By adding the directory containing your package modules to the search path -with the @code{-L} flag of @command{guix package} and other commands -(@pxref{Common Build Options}), or by setting the @code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH} -environment variable described below. - -@item -By defining a @dfn{channel} and configuring @command{guix pull} so that it -pulls from it. A channel is essentially a Git repository containing package -modules. @xref{Channels}, for more information on how to define and use -channels. -@end enumerate - -@code{GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH} works similarly to other search path variables: - -@defvr {Environment Variable} GUIX_PACKAGE_PATH -This is a colon-separated list of directories to search for additional -package modules. Directories listed in this variable take precedence -over the own modules of the distribution. -@end defvr - -The distribution is fully @dfn{bootstrapped} and @dfn{self-contained}: -each package is built based solely on other packages in the -distribution. The root of this dependency graph is a small set of -@dfn{bootstrap binaries}, provided by the @code{(gnu packages -bootstrap)} module. For more information on bootstrapping, -@pxref{Bootstrapping}. - - @node Bootstrapping @chapter Bootstrapping