<preface xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xml:id="preface"> <title>Preface</title> <para> This manual describes how to install, use and extend NixOS, a Linux distribution based on the purely functional package management system <link xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nix">Nix</link>, that is composed using modules and packages defined in the <link xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nixpkgs">Nixpkgs</link> project. </para> <para> Additional information regarding the Nix package manager and the Nixpkgs project can be found in respectively the <link xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nix/manual">Nix manual</link> and the <link xlink:href="https://nixos.org/nixpkgs/manual">Nixpkgs manual</link>. </para> <para> If you encounter problems, please report them on the <literal xlink:href="https://discourse.nixos.org">Discourse</literal>, the <link xlink:href="https://matrix.to/#nix:nixos.org">Matrix room</link>, or on the <link xlink:href="irc://irc.libera.chat/#nixos"> <literal>#nixos</literal> channel on Libera.Chat</link>. Alternatively, consider <link xlink:href="#chap-contributing"> contributing to this manual</link>. Bugs should be reported in <link xlink:href="https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues">NixOS’ GitHub issue tracker</link>. </para> <note> <para> Commands prefixed with <literal>#</literal> have to be run as root, either requiring to login as root user or temporarily switching to it using <literal>sudo</literal> for example. </para> </note> </preface>