DEVOURED
NixOS 26.05 released
NixOS 26.05 "Yarara" is released with over 20,000 new packages and updates, defaulting to systemd-based stage 1, and ending x86_64-darwin support after this version due to Apple's deprecation.
What: The NixOS 26.05 "Yarara" release, managed by yayayayaka and jopejoe1, includes a Nixpkgs refresh with 20,442 new packages, 20,641 updates, 85 new NixOS modules, and systemd-based stage 1 by default. It also updates GNOME to version 50 and GCC to 15.
Why it matters: The deprecation of x86_64-darwin support highlights the challenges open-source projects face in maintaining compatibility with platforms undergoing significant changes and reduced maintainer capacity.
Takeaway: If you are using Nixpkgs on x86_64-darwin, plan to migrate to an alternative platform or strategy, as support will cease after this 26.05 release goes out of support at the end of 2026.
Deep dive
- NixOS 26.05 "Yarara" is the latest release, supported for seven months until December 31, 2026.
- The previous release, 25.11 "Xantusia", is now deprecated and reaches EOL on June 30, 2026.
- The Nixpkgs repository added 20,442 new packages, updated 20,641, and removed 17,532 outdated ones.
- NixOS itself gained 85 new modules and 1,547 configuration options, while removing 25 modules and 355 options.
- Stage 1 (initrd) now uses systemd by default; the old scripted implementation is deprecated and scheduled for removal in 26.11.
- This will be the last Nixpkgs release to support x86_64-darwin, with binaries maintained until the end of 2026.
- For 26.11, x86_64-darwin build support will be dropped due to Apple's platform deprecation and limited build/developer resources.
- GNOME has been updated to version 50 "Tokyo".
- GCC has been updated to version 15, while LLVM remains at version 21.
- The release involved 2,842 contributors and 59,703 commits.
Decoder
- NixOS: A Linux distribution built on the Nix package manager, known for its declarative configuration and atomic upgrades/rollbacks.
- Nixpkgs: A large collection of packages for the Nix package manager, usable on NixOS, other Linux systems, and macOS.
- systemd stage 1 (initrd): The initial ramdisk (initrd) phase of the boot process, responsible for setting up the basic system before the main root filesystem is mounted. Systemd is an init system that can manage this stage.
- x86_64-darwin: The architecture for Intel-based macOS systems.
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