• Opisek@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    5 months ago

    Hey, that’s why I wanted an explanation! The one I got an a search result made it seem like you can’t install anything.

    • towerful@programming.dev
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      5 months ago

      Yeh, immutable distros… You can install software, it’s just you have to declaratively define what software you want, then apply that as a patch.
      You don’t just apt install cowsay, you have to create a file that defines the installation of cowsay.
      This way, if you have to change how cowsay is installed, you tweak that patch file and reapply it.
      If you have to wipe & reinstall (or get a new computer or whatever) you just apply all your patches, and the system is the same again.

      • KISSmyOSFeddit@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        5 months ago

        You’re talking about declarative systems like Nix. Immutable just means that the root filesystem is read-only. You can install programs as Flatpaks or inside a container (toolbox on Silverblue).

        • towerful@programming.dev
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          5 months ago

          Oh, no kidding.
          I always thought immutable required the declarative installs.
          I guess, immutable is more “containerised userland”?