03 – Enable NixOS Hosts to Offload Builds to Nova #234

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opened 2026-09-19 20:28:06 +01:00 by nimmo · 0 comments

nimmo commented

2026-09-19 20:28:06 +01:00

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Goal

Add reusable declarative NixOS client configuration that lets explicitly opted-in hosts offload eligible builds to Nova's Fedora-hosted remote builder.

Dependencies

Blocked by #232 and #233.

Requirements

Use the supported Nix distributed-build options; keep Nova-specific addresses, identity, supported platforms/features, speed factor, and concurrency policy separate from reusable client logic.
Define exactly which system types and features Nova may advertise. Do not advertise features merely because they happen to be enabled locally.
Enable builders-use-substitutes only with the reviewed cache/substituter and signing-key policy.
Support an explicit remote-only mode for validation while retaining a documented emergency local-build path.
Do not require Nova to host a checkout of nixos-config.
Document what remains local: evaluation, source acquisition, closure realization/copy, and activation.

Validation

Enable one suitable test client and prove a non-substituted derivation is selected and built on Nova.
Prove a remote-only invocation does not compile locally.
Exercise cache-hit and builder-unavailable cases, including the documented local recovery path.
Add focused regression/configuration validation for the reusable module.

## Goal Add reusable declarative NixOS client configuration that lets explicitly opted-in hosts offload eligible builds to Nova's Fedora-hosted remote builder. ## Dependencies Blocked by #232 and #233. ## Requirements - Use the supported Nix distributed-build options; keep Nova-specific addresses, identity, supported platforms/features, speed factor, and concurrency policy separate from reusable client logic. - Define exactly which system types and features Nova may advertise. Do not advertise features merely because they happen to be enabled locally. - Enable `builders-use-substitutes` only with the reviewed cache/substituter and signing-key policy. - Support an explicit remote-only mode for validation while retaining a documented emergency local-build path. - Do not require Nova to host a checkout of `nixos-config`. - Document what remains local: evaluation, source acquisition, closure realization/copy, and activation. ## Validation - Enable one suitable test client and prove a non-substituted derivation is selected and built on Nova. - Prove a remote-only invocation does not compile locally. - Exercise cache-hit and builder-unavailable cases, including the documented local recovery path. - Add focused regression/configuration validation for the reusable module.

nimmo added this to the NixOS Build & Deployment Pipeline milestone

2026-09-19 20:28:26 +01:00

nimmo added the

host:fleet

host:nova

phase:module

project:nixos-build-deployment-pipeline

service:nix

labels

2026-09-19 21:01:17 +01:00

nimmo changed title from ~~03 - Enable NixOS Hosts to Offload Builds to view~~ to 03 – Enable NixOS Hosts to Offload Builds to Nova

2026-09-19 21:01:23 +01:00