# This module creates a bootable netboot image containing the given NixOS # configuration. The generated image consists of a `/boot` partition # (for TFTP boot) and a `/root` partition (for NFS root). The goal is to # allow the system to boot over the network, using TFTP to retrieve the # boot files and NFS to mount the root filesystem, enabling fully # headless deployment of the NixOS system. # The generated netboot image consists of two directories: # - `/boot`: Contains the necessary bootloader, kernel, and initrd files # required for booting the system. These files will be served via TFTP # to the target machine. # - `/root`: Contains the root filesystem that will be mounted by the # target machine over NFS. This is typically an ext4 root partition # populated with the necessary NixOS configuration. # The image is generated in such a way that it can be used to netboot a # Raspberry Pi (or any other compatible hardware) directly, as long as # the appropriate network boot infrastructure (TFTP server for `/boot` # and NFS server for `/root`) is configured. # The image does not include a bootable SD card but instead prepares the # filesystem and boot files for network-based booting. The NixOS # configuration will be automatically applied when the system boots. # The generated image will be placed in # config.system.build.netImage. This image is intended to be deployed # to a TFTP server (for the boot files) and an NFS server (for the root # filesystem) for a fully headless, network-booted NixOS system. # Note: This module assumes that you have already set up the TFTP and # NFS servers on your network, and the target machine is configured # for network booting. { modulesPath, config, lib, pkgs, ... }: with lib; let rootfsImage = pkgs.callPackage (builtins.path { path = ./make-root-fs.nix; }) ({ inherit (config.netImage) storePaths; populateImageCommands = config.netImage.populateRootCommands; }); in { imports = [ ]; options.netImage = { rootDirectoryName = mkOption { default = "${config.netImage.imageBaseName}-${config.system.nixos.label}-${pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.system}"; description = '' Name of the generated root directory. ''; }; imageBaseName = mkOption { default = "nixos-net-image"; description = '' Prefix of the name of the generated image file. ''; }; storePaths = mkOption { type = with types; listOf package; example = literalExpression "[ pkgs.stdenv ]"; description = '' Derivations to be included in the Nix store in the generated Netboot image. ''; }; nfsRoot = mkOption { type = types.str; default = "192.168.0.108:/mnt/nfsshare/${config.netImage.imageBaseName}-${config.system.nixos.label}-${pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.system},v3"; description = '' cmdline.txt nfs parameter for the root filesystem. ''; }; populateFirmwareCommands = mkOption { example = literalExpression "'' cp \${pkgs.myBootLoader}/u-boot.bin ./ ''"; description = '' Shell commands to populate the ./ directory. All files in that directory are copied to the tftp files on the Netboot image. ''; }; populateRootCommands = mkOption { example = literalExpression "''\${config.boot.loader.generic-extlinux-compatible.populateCmd} -c \${config.system.build.toplevel} -d ./files/boot''"; description = '' Shell commands to populate the ./files directory. All files in that directory are copied to the root (/) partition on the Netboot image. Use this to populate the ./files/boot (/boot) directory. ''; }; }; config = { fileSystems = { "/boot/firmware" = { device = "${config.netImage.nfsRoot}/boot/firmware"; fsType = "nfs"; }; "/" = { device = "${config.netImage.nfsRoot}"; fsType = "nfs"; }; }; netImage.storePaths = [ config.system.build.toplevel ]; system.build.netImage = pkgs.callPackage ({ stdenv, util-linux }: stdenv.mkDerivation { name = config.netImage.rootDirectoryName; nativeBuildInputs = [ util-linux ]; buildCommand = '' set -e set -x mkdir -p $out/nix-support $out/net-image export rootfs=$out/net-image/${config.netImage.rootDirectoryName} export bootfs=$out/net-image/boot echo "${pkgs.stdenv.buildPlatform.system}" > $out/nix-support/system echo "Exporting rootfs image" mkdir -p $rootfs cp -r ${rootfsImage} $rootfs # Populate the files intended for tftp ${config.netImage.populateFirmwareCommands} mkdir -p $bootfs cp -r . $bootfs ''; }) { }; boot.postBootCommands = '' # On the first boot do some maintenance tasks if [ -f /nix-path-registration ]; then set -euo pipefail set -x # Register the contents of the initial Nix store ${config.nix.package.out}/bin/nix-store --load-db < /nix-path-registration # nixos-rebuild also requires a "system" profile and an /etc/NIXOS tag. touch /etc/NIXOS ${config.nix.package.out}/bin/nix-env -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/system --set /run/current-system # Prevents this from running on later boots. rm -f /nix-path-registration fi ''; }; }