NixOS/nix

Make cross compilation of Nix itself easy using `default.nix`

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#8,561 opened on Jun 21, 2023

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good first issueportability

Description

We could make cross compilation a lot easier using default.nix, as it can take the systems as parameters

Originally posted by @roberth in https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/8556#issuecomment-1600607499

Contributor guide

Tech stack
cppshell
Domain
build systemdevops
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
understanding of Nix package managercross compilation basics
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50
Research direction
The issue was proposed by @roberth in a comment on issue #8556, suggesting that cross compilation can be facilitated by using `default.nix` to take system parameters. To implement this, one would need to examine the current build system in the Nix repository, particularly the existing `default.nix` and any cross compilation related configurations. The goal is to simplify cross compilation by leveraging Nix's ability to parameterize systems in the default Nix expression.