Nix app vms

Simple application VM's based on Nix package manager.

Uses one read-only /nix directory for all appvms. So creating a new appvm (but not first) is just about one minute.

Currently optimized for full screen usage (but remote-viewer has ability to resize window dynamically without change resolution) without guest additions.

Install Nix package manager

$ sudo mkdir -m 0755 /nix && sudo chown $USER /nix
$ curl https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
$ . ~/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh

Dependencies

$ sudo apt install golang virt-manager curl
$ echo 'export GOPATH=$HOME/go' >> ~/.bash_profile
$ echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$GOPATH/bin' >> ~/.bash_profile
$ source ~/.bashrc

You need to relogin if you install virt-manager (libvirt) first time.

Libvirt from user (required if you need access to shared files)

$ echo user = "\"$USER\"" | sudo tee -a /etc/libvirt/qemu.conf
$ sudo systemctl restart libvirtd

Install appvm tool

$ go get github.com/jollheef/appvm

Generate resolution

By default uses 3840x2160. If you need to regenerate appvm/nix/monitor.nix:

$ $GOPATH/github.com/jollheef/appvm/generate-resolution.sh 1920 1080 > $GOPATH/github.com/jollheef/appvm/nix/monitor.nix

Autodetection is a bash-spaghetti, so you need to check results. BTW it's just a X.org monitor section.

Run application

$ appvm start chromium

You can customize local settings in $GOPATH/github.com/jollheef/appvm/nix/local.nix.

Default hotkey to release cursor: ctrl+alt.

Shared directory

$ ls appvm/chromium
foo.tar.gz
bar.tar.gz

Close VM

$ appvm stop chromium

App description

$ cat nix/chromium.nix
{pkgs, ...}:
{
  imports = [
    <nixpkgs/nixos/modules/virtualisation/qemu-vm.nix>
    <nix/base.nix>
  ];

  environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.chromium ];
  services.xserver.displayManager.sessionCommands = "while [ 1 ]; do ${pkgs.chromium}/bin/chromium; done &";
}

For create new app you should add package name (search at https://nixos.org/nixos/packages.html) and path to binary (typically same as package name).

Defined applications (pull requests are welcome!)

• chromium
• thunderbird
• tdesktop
• evince
• libreoffice
• wire