NixOS Configuration for NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin

This repository contains a NixOS configuration specifically tailored for the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin development kit. The configuration leverages Nix flakes for reproducible builds and includes hardware-specific optimizations for the Jetson platform.

Overview

This setup provides a minimal yet functional NixOS environment on the Jetson AGX Orin with essential development tools and services. The configuration is designed for headless operation with remote access capabilities.

Prerequisites

• NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit
• NixOS installation media compatible with ARM64 architecture
• (Follow this repository created by -> anduril)
• Basic familiarity with NixOS configuration management
• Network connectivity for package downloads during installation

Configuration Features

Hardware Support

• NVIDIA Jetpack Integration: Full hardware acceleration support through the jetpack-nixos module
• Graphics Acceleration: Enabled hardware graphics support for GPU-accelerated workloads
• System-on-Module: Configured for Orin AGX SoM with development kit carrier board

System Services

• SSH Access: OpenSSH daemon enabled for remote administration
• Tailscale VPN: Zero-config VPN service for secure remote access
• Network Management: NetworkManager for simplified network configuration

Development Environment

• Text Editor: Neovim with syntax highlighting and plugin support
• Version Control: Git with lazygit for improved workflow
• System Utilities: Essential tools including wget, ripgrep, and tree

File Structure

.
├── flake.nix              # Nix flake definition with inputs and outputs
├── configuration.nix      # Main system configuration
├── hardware-configuration.nix  # Auto-generated hardware configuration
└── README.md             # This documentation

Installation

1. Initial System Setup

Boot from NixOS installation media and partition your storage device according to your requirements. The configuration assumes an EFI-compatible setup.

2. Clone Configuration

git clone https://github.com/Eik-Lab/jetson-nixos-config.git /mnt/etc/nixos
cd /mnt/etc/nixos

3. Generate Hardware Configuration

nixos-generate-config --root /mnt

Replace the generated configuration.nix with the provided configuration, but preserve any hardware-specific settings from your generated hardware-configuration.nix.

4. Install NixOS

nixos-install --flake .#nixos

5. Post-Installation

After rebooting into the new system:

# Set password for the pookie user
passwd pookie

# Update the system
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#nixos

Configuration Details

Flake Configuration

The flake.nix defines:

• nixpkgs: Pinned to NixOS 25.05 for stability
• jetpack: Anduril's jetpack-nixos module for Jetson hardware support
• System Configuration: Single host configuration named "nixos"

System Configuration

Key configuration elements in configuration.nix:

Hardware Optimization

hardware.nvidia-jetpack.enable = true;
hardware.nvidia-jetpack.som = "orin-agx";
hardware.nvidia-jetpack.carrierBoard = "devkit";
hardware.graphics.enable = true;

User Management

• Default user: pookie
• Sudo access enabled via wheel group
• Minimal package set for development workflow

Network Configuration

• Hostname: nixos (customize as needed)
• NetworkManager for connection management
• Tailscale for VPN connectivity

Customization

Adding Packages

To add system-wide packages, modify the environment.systemPackages list in configuration.nix:

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
  # Existing packages
  neovim
  wget
  git
  ripgrep
  lazygit

  # Add your packages here
  htop
  tmux
  python3
];

User-Specific Packages

Add packages for the user in the users.users.pookie.packages section:

users.users.pookie = {
  isNormalUser = true;
  extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
  packages = with pkgs; [
    tree
    # Add user-specific packages here
  ];
};

Enabling Additional Services

Common services can be enabled by adding configuration blocks:

# Enable Docker
virtualisation.docker.enable = true;

# Enable development services
services.postgresql.enable = true;

Maintenance

System Updates

# Update flake inputs
nix flake update

# Rebuild system
sudo nixos-rebuild switch --flake .#nixos

Garbage Collection

# Clean old generations
sudo nix-collect-garbage -d

# Clean user profile
nix-collect-garbage -d

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Boot Issues: Ensure EFI variables are accessible and systemd-boot is properly configured
2. Hardware Acceleration: Verify jetpack module is loading correctly with lsmod | grep nvidia
3. Network Connectivity: Check NetworkManager status with systemctl status NetworkManager

Logs and Diagnostics

# System logs
journalctl -xe

# Hardware information
lshw -short

# GPU status
nvidia-smi

Contributing

When modifying this configuration:

1. Test changes in a virtual machine when possible
2. Document any hardware-specific requirements
3. Follow NixOS configuration best practices
4. Update this README for significant changes

References

• NixOS Manual
• Jetpack NixOS Documentation
• NVIDIA Jetson Developer Resources
• Nix Flakes Documentation

License

This configuration is provided as-is for educational and development purposes. Please review and adapt according to your specific requirements and security policies.