IX is a source-based, content-addressed package manager and build system at the heart of the stal/IX Linux distribution. Every package is built from source using Jinja2 recipe templates, stored at an immutable content-addressed path underDocumentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/pg83/ix/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
/ix/store/, and composed into named environments called realms. IX enforces hermetic builds — no host environment leaks in, and every output is reproducible by hash.
Quickstart
Build your first package and set up a realm in minutes
Installation
Get IX running on Linux or Darwin
CLI Reference
Every subcommand, flag, and exit code documented
Package Development
Write your first IX package recipe from scratch
Why IX?
IX pushes against the mainstream Linux distribution model. Instead of dynamic linking, runtime plugins, and host-environment assumptions, IX chooses:Content-Addressed Store
Every build output lives at
/ix/store/<hash>-<pkg>. Identical inputs always produce identical paths.Hermetic Builds
Build steps run in isolation. No host compiler, header, or library can leak into a package.
Static Linking
Packages are statically linked by default, eliminating shared-library ABI fragility at runtime.
Realms
Compose named environments from store entries. Switch between them by redirecting a single symlink.
Template Recipes
Packages are Jinja2 templates that inherit from a build-system hierarchy — CMake, Meson, Cargo, Go, and more.
Cross-Compilation
Build artifacts targeting other OS/ABI combinations without emulation.
Get Started
Clone the repository
IX is distributed as a source repository. Clone it and use the
./ix wrapper directly.Install into a realm
Use
mut to install a package into your personal realm (named after your username by default).IX is an active engineering project, not a polished consumer OS distribution. Expect toolchain transitions, experiments, and non-mainstream design decisions — by intent.