Why NixOS is Better Than Other Linux Distributions

Hey, I’m Lakshman! In this article, I will help you choose the best Linux operating system. Let’s dive into why NixOS is better than other Linux distributions! If you haven’t tried NixOS yet, you’re missing out! This OS can make your system run faster than other Linux environments—but there’s a condition: you need to choose a lightweight desktop environment (DE). Don’t worry, I’ll guide you on which DE might be best for you.

1. NixOS is Open Source and Free

One of the best things about NixOS is that it’s completely open-source. This means you don’t have to pay for any services or features. Plus, you can contribute to its development and be part of the growing Nix community.

2. Easy System Configuration with configuration.nix

This is my favorite feature! NixOS stores all your system configurations—including installed packages—in a single file called configuration.nix. Why is this so great? On other Linux distributions, if your system crashes or gets corrupted, restoring everything can be frustrating. But with NixOS, you can easily recover your setup. Just reinstall the OS and load your configuration.nix file, and everything is back as it was!

3. Simple and Powerful Package Management

Installing packages in NixOS is super simple. This is another reason I love it! Here’s why it’s better:

• Quick Install (Temporary): Run this command in the terminal:
  nix-env -iA nixpkgs.android-studio
• Permanent Install (Recommended):
  1. Open the configuration file: sudo nano /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
  2. Find the environment.systemPackages section.
  3. Add android-studio inside the square brackets [ ].
  4. Save the file with Ctrl + O, then exit with Ctrl + X.
  5. Apply changes: sudo nixos-rebuild switch

4. How to Install NixOS (Step-by-Step Guide)

1. Download NixOS ISO: Visit the official NixOS website and choose the ISO based on your system.
2. Create a Bootable USB: Use Ventoy (recommended), Rufus, or Etcher to flash the ISO onto a USB drive.
3. Boot from USB: Restart your PC and enter the BIOS. Select the USB drive as the boot device.
4. Start the Installation: Follow the guided setup for internet connection, region, and keyboard layout.
5. Choose a Desktop Environment: For performance, I recommend LXQt. It’s lightweight and uses only 500MB of RAM.
6. Partition the Disk: For dual-boot, shrink the existing partition and create new partitions for root (/) and boot (/boot).
7. Start Installation: Click Install and follow prompts. Restart when complete.

5. Why I Prefer NixOS with LXQt

After trying many Linux distributions, I found that NixOS with LXQt offers the best performance for development. Even on low-end hardware, it runs smoothly and looks decent.

For comparison:

• Lubuntu (latest version) uses around 800MB RAM.
• NixOS + LXQt uses only 500MB RAM.

If you care about performance and stability, this setup is perfect.

Final Thoughts

I hope this article helped you understand why NixOS is better than other Linux distributions. Its unique features like the configuration.nix file, powerful package management, and flexibility make it a fantastic choice for both beginners and advanced users. If you have any suggestions or want to see improvements in this article, feel free to leave a comment. I’ll do my best to improve next time! Enjoy using NixOS!