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Abora uses a flake-based update flow on installed systems. Rather than manually editing channel URLs or running raw Nix commands, a single sudo nixos update resolves your selected channel, fetches the latest Abora project files, updates the flake inputs, and rebuilds the system. If something goes wrong, a matching rollback command brings the previous generation back.

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Running an Update

The primary update command: 
sudo nixos update
These aliases invoke the same updater and can be used interchangeably: 
update
upgrade
abora-update
These commands work on installed Abora systems only. They are not available from the live ISO.

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What the Updater Does

1

Resolves the selected channel

The updater reads /etc/nixos/abora/channel to find your current channel (stable or unstable). For the stable channel it queries the Abora repository for the latest tagged release. For unstable it targets the main branch.
2

Offers a pre-update ANIX snapshot

If ANIX is available, the updater asks whether you want to save a local snapshot of /etc/nixos before any files change. Accepting creates a Git commit in your config directory so you have a rollback point independent of NixOS generations.
3

Fetches the latest Abora project files

The updater clones or fetches the Abora repository into /etc/nixos/.abora-upstream, then syncs the installed Abora files under /etc/nixos/abora/. This brings in updated modules, scripts, wallpapers, and bootloader assets.
4

Updates flake inputs

Runs nix flake update against /etc/nixos to pull the latest nixpkgs and any other flake inputs.
5

Rebuilds the system

Runs nixos-rebuild switch --flake /etc/nixos#abora to activate the updated configuration. The system is live on the new generation as soon as this step completes.

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Update Channels

Abora installed systems can follow either the stable release line or the live development branch.
ChannelTracksBest for
stableLatest tagged Abora releaseMost users — tested, complete builds
unstablemain branchThose who want the newest changes as they land

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Checking and Changing Channels

Show the current channel: 
nixos channel
List all available channels with descriptions: 
nixos channel list
Switch to stable: 
nixos channel set stable
Switch to unstable: 
nixos channel set unstable
After changing the channel, run sudo nixos update to apply it.

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Safer Update Habit

For larger updates or before switching channels, save a local snapshot first so you have a named recovery point: 
anix save "before update"
anix status
sudo nixos update
anix save creates a Git commit in /etc/nixos, warns about any potential secrets in tracked files, and shows the current profile and generation state. If the update goes wrong, you can restore from the snapshot or roll back the NixOS generation.

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Rolling Back

If an update breaks something, roll back to the previous system generation: 
sudo nixos rollback
Or use ANIX for a more interactive flow: 
anix generations
anix rollback nix
anix generations lists all available generations with their timestamps and profile names. anix rollback nix activates the previous generation using nixos-rebuild switch --rollback.
If you are upgrading from an older Abora v2 or pre-release build to DENALI 3.1.4, a fresh install is recommended for the best experience. The sudo nixos update path handles most cases, but the installer sets up the full DENALI layout cleanly in ways that migration cannot always replicate.

abora doctor

Check system health: Flatpak, themes, boot assets, update state, and ANIX status.
abora doctor

abora recovery

Interactive rollback, rebuild, Flathub repair, and support report collection.
abora recovery

anix status

Show the current profile, generation number, and snapshot state at a glance.
anix status

tinypm sources

Show app and package source status across Nix, Flatpak, and Snap layers.
tinypm sources

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