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Generators

Generators are the core mechanism of the clan vars system for automating the creation and management of generated files, especially secrets, in your NixOS configurations.

What are Generators?

Generators solve a common problem: instead of manually running commands like mkpasswd to create password hashes and copying them into your configuration, generators automate this process declaratively.

A generator defines:

  • Input prompts: Values to request from users (passwords, names, etc.)
  • Generation script: Logic to transform inputs into outputs
  • Output files: Generated files that can be secrets or public data
  • Dependencies: Other generators this one depends on
  • Runtime inputs: Tools and packages needed by the script

Key Benefits

  • Reproducible: Same inputs produce same outputs across machines
  • Declarative: Defined in your NixOS configuration alongside usage
  • Secure: Automatic handling of secrets storage and deployment
  • Collaborative: Shared generators work across team environments
  • Automated: No manual copy-paste of generated values

Common Use Cases

  • Password hashing: Generate secure password hashes for user accounts
  • SSH keys: Create and manage SSH host and user keys
  • Certificates: Generate TLS certificates and certificate authorities
  • API tokens: Create secure random tokens for services
  • Configuration files: Generate config files that depend on secrets

Learning Path

  1. Start here: Vars Getting Started Guide - Hands-on tutorial with practical examples
  2. Understand the architecture: Vars Concepts Guide - Deep dive into design principles and patterns
  3. Explore complex scenarios: Advanced Examples - Real-world patterns and best practices
  4. Troubleshoot issues: Troubleshooting Guide - Common problems and solutions

API Reference

For complete configuration options and technical details, see: