nip/docs/README.md

NIP Documentation

Welcome to the NIP documentation! This guide will help you find what you need.

New to NIP?

Start here:

1. Getting Started Guide - Complete introduction with examples
2. Quick Reference - Command cheat sheet
3. Bootstrap Overview - Understanding automatic build tool management

User Guides

Package Management

• Getting Started - Installation and basic usage
• Source Build Guide - Building packages from source
• Arch Linux Guide - Hybrid package management on Arch
• Gentoo + Nix Guide - Using Nix packages on Gentoo

Bootstrap System

• Bootstrap Overview - What is the bootstrap system?
• Bootstrap Guide - Detailed usage and commands
• Bootstrap Detection Flow - How automatic detection works
• Container Builds - Docker/Podman integration
• Binary Cache - Local caching system
• Remote Cache - Team collaboration with remote cache
• Automatic Updates - Self-updating system

Build System

• Build Flow - Understanding the build process
• Build Configuration - Configuring builds
• Build Examples - Common build scenarios
• Build Troubleshooting - Solving build issues

Advanced Topics

• Architecture - System architecture overview
• Security Features - Security and verification
• Remote CLI Guide - Remote package management

Developer Guides

Bootstrap System

• Bootstrap API - API reference for developers
• Recipe Authoring - Creating bootstrap recipes
• Build Binaries - Building standalone binaries

Build System

• Build System Help - Build system internals
• Types Reference - Core type definitions

Package Format

• Formats and Concepts - Package formats
• Remote Repository Specification - Repository format

Reference

Command Line

• Enhanced CLI Interface - CLI design
• JSON Output - Machine-readable output
• Shell Interface - Interactive shell

Configuration

• Build Configuration - Build settings
• Schemas - See docs/schemas/ directory

Security

• Security Features - Overview
• Security and Verification - Detailed system
• Hash Algorithm Migration - Blake2b to Blake3

Quick Navigation

I want to...

Install a package → Getting Started Guide

Build from source → Source Build Guide

Understand automatic bootstrap → Bootstrap Overview

Use NIP on Arch Linux → Arch Linux Guide

Build in containers → Getting Started Guide

Manage build tools → Bootstrap Guide

Troubleshoot builds → Build Troubleshooting

Create custom recipes → Recipe Authoring Guide

Understand the API → Bootstrap API

Documentation Structure

docs/
├── README.md                          # This file
├── getting-started.md                 # Start here!
│
├── User Guides/
│   ├── bootstrap-overview.md          # Bootstrap system overview
│   ├── bootstrap-guide.md             # Bootstrap usage
│   ├── bootstrap-detection-flow.md    # Detection logic
│   ├── source-build-guide.md          # Source building
│   ├── arch-linux-guide.md            # Arch Linux workflow
│   ├── build-flow.md                  # Build process
│   ├── build-configuration.md         # Build config
│   ├── build-examples.md              # Build examples
│   └── build-troubleshooting.md       # Troubleshooting
│
├── Developer Guides/
│   ├── bootstrap-api.md               # Bootstrap API
│   ├── architecture.md                # System architecture
│   ├── build-system-help.md           # Build internals
│   └── nimpak_types_reference.md      # Type reference
│
├── Reference/
│   ├── enhanced-cli-interface.md      # CLI reference
│   ├── json-output.md                 # JSON format
│   ├── security-features.md           # Security
│   └── formats_and_concepts.md        # Package formats
│
└── schemas/                           # JSON schemas

Contributing to Documentation

Found an issue or want to improve the docs?

1. Documentation lives in nip/docs/
2. Use Markdown format
3. Follow existing structure and style
4. Test all code examples
5. Update this index when adding new docs

Getting Help

• Issues: https://git.maiwald.work/Nexus/NexusToolKit/issues
• Wiki: https://git.maiwald.work/Nexus/NexusToolKit/wiki
• Repository: https://git.maiwald.work/Nexus/NexusToolKit

Documentation Status

Document	Status	Last Updated
Getting Started	✅ Complete	2025-11
Bootstrap Overview	✅ Complete	2025-11
Bootstrap Guide	✅ Complete	2025-11
Bootstrap Detection Flow	✅ Complete	2025-11
Bootstrap API	✅ Complete	2025-11
Source Build Guide	✅ Complete	2025-11
Arch Linux Guide	✅ Complete	2025-11
Gentoo + Nix Guide	✅ Complete	2025-11
Build Flow	✅ Complete	2025-11
Container Builds	✅ Complete	2025-11
Binary Cache	✅ Complete	2025-11
Remote Cache	✅ Complete	2025-11
Automatic Updates	✅ Complete	2025-11
Recipe Authoring	✅ Complete	2025-11
Build Binaries	✅ Complete	2025-11

Summary

The documentation is organized to help you:

1. Get started quickly - Follow the getting started guide
2. Learn by doing - Practical examples throughout
3. Understand deeply - Detailed explanations when needed
4. Reference easily - Quick lookup for specific topics

Start with Getting Started and explore from there!