Editing Portal:Linux (section)

=== NixOS and Guix System ===

NixOS and Guix System are also important to the modern Perl story, even though they do not focus on default Perl availability. These systems are declarative and reproducible. Software is not assumed globally in the same way it is on traditional Unix systems.

On NixOS, a user normally declares Perl as a package in a system or user environment. On Guix System, Perl is likewise available through the package system but must be included explicitly.

This model is philosophically different from the classic Unix assumption. Instead of asking, “Does Linux have Perl by default?”, the NixOS or Guix answer is, “Declare Perl where you need Perl.” That makes Perl less invisible but more reproducible.