nix.dev/source/contributing/documentation.md

# Contributing Documentation

This is an overview of documentation resources for Nix, Nixpkgs, and NixOS, with suggestions how you can help to improve them.
Documentation contributions should follow the [style guide](./style-guide.md).

Feel free to in touch with the [Nix documentation team](https://nixos.org/community/teams/documentation) if you want to help out.

## Reference manuals

The manuals for [Nix][nix manual] ([source][nix manual src]), [Nixpkgs][Nixpkgs manual] ([source][nixpkgs manual src]), and [NixOS][NixOS manual] ([source][nixos manual src]) are purely reference documentation, specifying interfaces and behavior.

They also show example interactions which demonstrate how to use its components, and explain mechanisms where necessary.

The documentation team watches all pull requests to the manuals and assists contributors to get their changes merged.

You can help by

- picking up documentation-related issues on [Nix][nix docs issues], [Nixpkgs][nixpkgs docs issues], and [NixOS][nixos docs issues].

- reviewing documentation-related pull requests on [Nix][nix docs prs], [Nixpkgs][nixpkgs docs prs], and [NixOS][nixos docs prs].

- making pull requests which improves existing documentation, such as:

  - add links to definitions, commands, options, etc. where only the name is mentioned
  - correct obvious errors
  - clarify language
  - expanding on sections that appear incomplete
  - identifying sections that are not reference documentation and should be moved to nix.dev

[Nix manual]: https://nixos.org/manual/nix
[nix manual src]: https://github.com/NixOS/nix/tree/master/doc/manual
[Nixpkgs manual]: https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs
[nixpkgs manual src]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/master/doc
[NixOS manual]: https://nixos.org/manual/nixos
[nixos manual src]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/tree/master/nixos/doc/manual

[nix docs issues]: https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3Adocumentation
[nixpkgs docs issues]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%226.topic%3A+documentation%22+-label%3A%226.topic%3A+nixos%22
[nixos docs issues]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue+label%3A%226.topic%3A+documentation%22+label%3A%226.topic%3A+nixos%22+

[nix docs prs]: https://github.com/NixOS/nix/pulls?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Apr+label%3Adocumentation
[nixpkgs docs prs]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pulls?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Apr+label%3A%226.topic%3A+documentation%22+-label%3A%226.topic%3A+nixos%22
[nixos docs prs]: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pulls?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Apr+label%3A%226.topic%3A+documentation%22+label%3A%226.topic%3A+nixos%22+

## nix.dev

The purpose of [nix.dev] ([source][nix.dev src]) is to guide newcomers by teaching essential Nix knowledge, show best practices, and help orient users in the Nix ecosystem.

It goes into breadth, not depth.

The documentation team maintains nix.dev as editors.

You can help by

- working on [open issues][nix.dev issues]
- reviewing [pull requests][nix.dev prs] by testing new material or features
- adding guides or tutorials following the [proposed outline](https://github.com/NixOS/nix.dev/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#user-content-vision)

New articles can be based on videos such as:

- [The Nix Hour] recordings
- some of the ~100 [NixCon][nixcon yt] recordings
- [Nix video guides] by @jonringer.
- [Summer of Nix 2022 talks]

Since writing a guide or tutorial is a lot of work, please make sure to coordinate with nix.dev maintainers, for example by commenting on or opening an issue to make sure it will be worthwhile.

[nix.dev]: https://nix.dev
[nix.dev src]: https://github.com/nixos/nix.dev
[nix.dev issues]: https://github.com/nixos/nix.dev/issues
[nix.dev prs]: https://github.com/nixos/nix.dev/pulls

[The Nix Hour]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwV1204mCtE&list=PLyzwHTVJlRc8yjlx4VR4LU5A5O44og9in
[nixcon yt]: https://www.youtube.com/c/NixCon
[Nix video guides]: https://www.youtube.com/user/elitespartan117j27
[Summer of Nix 2022 talks]: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4-_lkyRrOMWyp5G-m_d1wtTcbBaOxZk

## nixos.org

The Nix project web site is [nixos.org] ([source][nixos website src]).

Website contents that concern learning Nix should reference or include material from nix.dev.

The [Nix marketing team] is responsible for the web site, and the documentation team assists with maintaining contents related to onboarding new users.

[nixos.org]: https://nixos.org
[nixos website src]: https://github.com/nixos/nixos-homepage
[Nix marketing team]: https://nixos.org/community/teams/marketing.html

## Communication channels

### Matrix

Use Matrix for casual communication.

The documentation team frequents the [Nix\* Documentation] room.

Old messages are extremely improbable to be read by anyone.

You can help by posting in the appropriate categories on [Discourse] what you have found valuable.

[Nix\* Documentation]: https://matrix.to/#/#docs:nixos.org
[Discourse]: https://discourse.nixos.org/

### Discourse

[Discourse] is the central community hub.

This is the place for your questions, suggestions, and discussion.

The documentation team monitors the [Documentation category].

Old threads and especially posts in long threads are improbable to be read by many people.

You can help by

- asking informed questions, showing what you have done so far
- answering other people's questions
- writing down what you have learned by updating or adding a [NixOS Wiki] article, nix.dev guide or tutorial, or one of the manuals
- encouraging and helping people to incorporate their insights in the official documentation

[Documentation category]: https://discourse.nixos.org/c/dev/documentation/25

### Meetings and Events

Check the [Discourse community calendar] for real-time events.

The documentation team holds regular meetings and posts meeting notes in the [Documentation category].

You can help by joining meetings to take notes or clean them up before publishing.

[Discourse community calendar]: https://discourse.nixos.org/t/community-calendar/18589

## External sources

The Internet is full of helpful resources concerning Nix.

You can help by sharing in the [Links category] on Discourse what you have found valuable.

[Links category]: https://discourse.nixos.org/c/links/12

### Wiki

[NixOS Wiki](https://nixos.wiki/) is a collection of interlinked guides to solve common problems which are otherwise not well-documented.

It is collectively edited by the community, covers a broad range of topics.
It is only loosely organized, and does not impose quality standards.
Its purpose is to quickly and conveniently collect insights and make them readily available for everyone.

We recommend to use it as a dumping ground for more obscure Nix knowledge, and strive to make it *smaller* over time (see [NixCon 2015: Make Nix friendlier for Beginners]), by incrementally incorporating its contents into authoritative documentation and curated learning material.

The documentation team **does not maintain** the Wiki.

You can still help with

- improving discoverability by adding categorization and relevant links
- clarifying articles and correcting errors
- removing redundant information that is already present in curated sources
- migrating information to other resources.

Where to migrate what:

- Nix interaction: [Nix manual]
- Language-specific build instructions: [Nixpkgs manual]
- Package, service, or hardware configuration: [NixOS manual]
- Overviews, tutorials, guides, best practices: [nix.dev]

[NixOS Wiki]: https://nixos.wiki/
[NixCon 2015: Make Nix friendlier for Beginners]: https://media.ccc.de/v/nixcon2015-3-MakeNixfriendlierforBeginners#video

### Nix Pills

[Nix Pills](https://nixos.org/guides/nix-pills/) is a series of low-level tutorials on building software packages with Nix, showing in detail how Nixpkgs is made from first principles.
Work is currently being done to bring the Nix Pills up-to-date with the current state of Nix and current best-practices of Nixpkgs.
Furthermore, work is underway to migrate the technical infrastructure of Nix Pills to improve maintainability and make it easier for others to contribute.

You can help by

- opening [issues](https://github.com/NixOS/nix-pills/issues) for any errors or outdated information you find
- addressing [good first issues](https://github.com/NixOS/nix-pills/labels/good-first-issue) by opening [pull requests](https://github.com/NixOS/nix-pills/pulls)
- Test code examples to ensure correctness and completeness.
- Add links to reference documentation where needed.

## Licensing and attribution

When opening pull requests with your own contributions, you agree to licensing your work under [CC-BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

When adding material by third parties, make sure it has a license that permits this.
In that case, unambiguously state source, authors, and license in the newly added material.
Notify the authors *before* using their work.

[Add the original author as co-author](https://docs.github.com/en/pull-requests/committing-changes-to-your-project/creating-and-editing-commits/creating-a-commit-with-multiple-authors) to the first commit of your pull request, which should contain the original document verbatim, so we can track authorship and changes through version history.

Using free licenses other than CC-BY-SA 4.0 is possible for individual documents, and by contributing changes to those documents you agree to license your work accordingly.