# Nim Linux Packaging ## Guidelines * [Packaging Nim](https://nim-lang.org/docs/packaging.html) ## Current Problems * ~~The [choosenim AUR package](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/choosenim) needs Nim to build, but trying to build it with the `extra/nim` package does not work.~~ **Note**: the package now uses the official Nim binary distribution to build, at least on x86_64. * ~~The [choosenim-bin AUR package](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/choosenim-bin), which doesn't need Nim to build, is outdated (still at version 0.8.4, using the unmaintained, [outdated upstream repo](https://github.com/dom96/choosenim])).~~ **Note**: the `choosenim-bin` AUR package has been updated now (2024-01-04) * The `install.sh` script in the official Nim source and binary distribution does not follow the Nim packaging guidelines linked above. * NimScript assumes `system.nim` lives in `lib` directory (`Error: cannot open '/usr/lib/nim/lib/system.nim'`). * The [official Arch `extra/nim` package](https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/nim/) is broken in several ways: * It doesn't follow the Nim packaging guidelines linked above (but those do not adhere to the FHS). * It is missing all the files in the `dist` directory the official Nim binary distribution contains and installs in the `<prefix>/lib/nim` directory. * Several Nim tools (`nim doc`, `nimsuggest`) assume that some library files live next to the binaries, which isn't the case in an Arch Linux install, which tries to follow the FHS. **Note:** This is still true for current Nim (2.0.8) * It [builds from the source archive](https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/nim/-/blob/main/PKGBUILD?ref_type=heads#L35), which GitHub automatically creates for release tags. These do not contain all the files, which the official Nim source distribution contains. * It adds Arch- and x85_64-specific compiler flags to the `nim.cfg` file in the `compiler` module in the Nim installation, which breaks using Nim for cross-compiling using gcc. * According to packaging guidelines, the Nim package should not ship with the `compiler` package installed. Nim projects requiring the Nim compiler sources can depend on the [nim nimble package](https://nimble.directory/pkg/nim) instead. * It includes no man page (get it from Debian package?). ### Arch Package Issues * https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/nim/-/issues ### Upstream Issues * [[nimsuggest] Move files under the lib/ dir to make it usable as a library](https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/14040) ### Forum Threads * [Nimsuggest and Manjaro Nim installation](https://forum.nim-lang.org/t/11723) ## General Links * [Nim source repo on GitHub](https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim) * [Choosenim source repo on GitHub](https://github.com/nim-lang/choosenim) * [Nim official Linux binary and source distributions](https://nim-lang.org/install_unix.html)