How to add machines

Machines can be added using the following methods

Create a file machines/{machine_name}/configuration.nix (See: File Autoincludes)
Imperative via cli command: clan machines create
Editing nix expressions in flake.nix See [clan-core.lib.clan](/options/?scope=Flake Options (clan.nix file))

See the complete list of auto-loaded files.

Create a machine

=== "clan.nix (declarative)"

```{.nix hl_lines="3-4"}
{
    inventory.machines = {
        # Define a machine
        jon = { };
    };

    # Additional NixOS configuration can be added here.
    # machines/jon/configuration.nix will be automatically imported.
    # See: https://docs.clan.lol/guides/more-machines/#automatic-registration
    machines = {
        # jon = { config, ... }: {
        #   environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.asciinema ];
        # };
    };
}
```

=== "CLI (imperative)"

```sh
clan machines create jon
```

The imperative command might create a machine folder in `machines/jon`
And might persist information in `inventory.json`

Configuring a machine

!!! Note The option: inventory.machines.<name> is used to define metadata about the machine That includes for example deploy.targethost machineClass or tags

The option: `machines.<name>` is used to add extra *nixosConfiguration* to a machine

Add the following to your clan.nix file for each machine. This example demonstrates what is needed based on a machine called jon:

{
    inventory.machines = {
        jon = {
            # Define tags here (optional)
            tags = [ ]; # (1)
        };
        sara = {
            deploy.targetHost = "root@sara";
            tags = [ ];
        };
    };
    # Define additional nixosConfiguration here
    # Or in /machines/jon/configuration.nix (autoloaded)
    machines = {
        jon = { config, pkgs, ... }: {
            users.users.root.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys = [
                "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC..." # elided (2)
            ];
        };
    };
}

Tags can be used to automatically add this machine to services later on. - You dont need to set this now.
Add your ssh key here - That will ensure you can always login to your machine via ssh in case something goes wrong.

(Optional) Create a `configuration.nix`

{
    imports = [
        # enables GNOME desktop (optional)
        ../../modules/gnome.nix
    ];

    # Set nixosOptions here
    # Or import your own modules via 'imports'
    # ...
}

(Optional) Renaming a Machine

Older templates included static machine folders like jon and sara. If your setup still uses such static machines, you can rename a machine folder to match your own machine name:

git mv ./machines/jon ./machines/<your-machine-name>

Since your Clan configuration lives inside a Git repository, remember:

Only files tracked by Git (git add) are recognized.
Whenever you add, rename, or remove files, run:

git add ./machines/<your-machine-name>

to stage the changes.

(Optional) Removing a Machine

If you want to work with a single machine for now, you can remove other machine entries both from your flake.nix and from the machines directory. For example, to remove the machine sara:

git rm -rf ./machines/sara

Make sure to also remove or update any references to that machine in your nix files or inventory.json if you have any of that

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