diff --git a/src/libstore/local-overlay-store.md b/src/libstore/local-overlay-store.md index a0b9c3adf..813efc3e9 100644 --- a/src/libstore/local-overlay-store.md +++ b/src/libstore/local-overlay-store.md @@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ R"( This store type is a variation of the [local store] designed to leverage Linux's [Overlay Filesystem](https://docs.kernel.org/filesystems/overlayfs.html) (OverlayFS for short). Just as OverlayFS combines a lower and upper filesystem by treating the upper one as a patch against the lower, the local overlay store combines a lower store with an upper almost [local store]. ("almost" because while the upper fileystems for OverlayFS is valid on its own, the upper almost-store is not a valid local store on its own because some references will dangle.) +To use this store, you will first need to configure an OverlayFS mountpoint [appropriately](#example-filesystem-layout) as Nix will not do this for you (though it will verify the mountpoint is configured correctly). ### Parts of a local overlay store @@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ The parts of a local overlay store are as follows: This is any store implementation that includes a store directory as part of the native operating system filesystem. For example, this could be a [local store], [local daemon store], or even another local overlay store. + The lower store must not change while it is mounted as part of an overlay store. + To ensure it does not, you might want to mount the store directory read-only (which then requires the [read-only] parameter to be set to `true`). + Specified with the `lower-store` setting. - Lower store directory. @@ -51,4 +55,42 @@ The parts of a local overlay store are as follows: Specified with the `state` setting, is always `${state}/db`. + +### Example filesystem layout + +Say we have the following paths: + +- `/mnt/example/merged-store/nix/store` + +- `/mnt/example/store-a/nix/store` + +- `/mnt/example/store-b` + + +Then the following store URI can be used to access a local-overlay store at `/mnt/example/merged-store`: + +``` + local-overlay://?root=/mnt/example/merged-store&lower-store=/mnt/example/store-a&upper-layer=/mnt/example/store-b +``` + +The lower store is located at `/mnt/example/store-a/nix/store`, while the upper layer is at `/mnt/example/store-b`. + +Before accessing the overlay store you will need to ensure the OverlayFS mount is set up correctly: + +``` + mount -t overlay overlay \ + -o lowerdir="/mnt/example/store-a/nix/store" \ + -o upperdir="/mnt/example/store-b" \ + -o workdir="/mnt/example/workdir" \ + "/mnt/example/merged-store/nix/store" \ +``` + +Note that OverlayFS requires `/mnt/example/workdir` to be on the same volume as the `upperdir`. + +By default, Nix will check that the mountpoint as been set up correctly and fail with an error if it has not. +You can override this behaviour by passing [`check-mount=false`](???) if you need to. + + + + )"