nix-serve

Spec sheet

Purpose

nix-serve serves a Nix store as a binary cache that other Nix installations can use as a substituter.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Deployment

The README describes running nix-serve locally as a standalone binary cache server.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

License

The repository lists the project under the LGPL-2.1 license.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Access logging

The README gives `--access-log /dev/stderr` as an example Starman flag.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Cache check

The README shows checking the server with `nix store ping --store http://localhost:5000`.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Cache integration

Other Nix installations can use the cache by passing its URL to `--substituters`.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Cache signing

The README documents signing the binary cache using a generated key pair and the `NIX_SECRET_KEY_FILE` environment variable.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Check server

The README shows checking the server with `nix store ping --store http://localhost:5000`.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Maintainer

The repository owner is Eelco Dolstra, whose GitHub profile lists Utrecht, Netherlands.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Nix integration

The README says to pass the server URL to Nix with `--substituters` to use the cache.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Nix requirement

The usage instructions assume a flake-enabled version of Nix.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Publisher

The repository is under the GitHub account edolstra.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Requirements

The usage instructions assume a flake-enabled version of Nix.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Run

The README shows starting it with `nix run github:edolstra/nix-serve`, serving on localhost port 5000.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Signature verification

The README shows verifying served store paths with `nix verify` and the cache's trusted public key.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Signing

The README explains how to sign the binary cache using a generated key pair and `NIX_SECRET_KEY_FILE`.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Standalone server

The project describes nix-serve as a standalone Nix binary cache server.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Start command

The README shows starting the server with `nix run github:edolstra/nix-serve`, serving on localhost port 5000.Read 8 Oct 2026 · github.com

Web server

nix-serve uses the Starman web server and accepts additional Starman flags.Read 9 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Every nix-serve plan and price →

Where Specifiction places it

• Build Cache Software#14 of 237.7