Re: Reorganizing guix package commands

[Taylan Ulrich Bayırlı/Kammer]

Alex Kost <address@hidden> writes:

> Here is the summary of the changes I think it would be good to have:
>
> | Replace this:                     | With this:                        |
> |-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------|
> | guix build                        | guix package build                |
> | guix edit                         | guix package definition¹          |
> | guix import                       | guix package import               |
> | guix lint                         | guix package lint                 |
> | guix refresh                      | guix package refresh              |
> | guix package --show               | guix package show                 |
> | guix package --search             | guix package search               |
> | guix package --list-available     | guix package list                 |
> |-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------|
> | guix package --list-generations   | guix profile --list-generations   |
> | guix package --list-installed     | guix profile --list-installed     |
> | guix package --delete-generations | guix profile --delete-generations |
> | guix package --switch-generations | guix profile --switch-generations |
> | guix package --roll-back          | guix profile --roll-back          |
> | guix package --manifest           | guix profile --manifest           |
>
> ¹ "edit" name is confusing: <http://bugs.gnu.org/22587>

How about "view"?  ("Definition" is so long.)

> Maybe instead of --list-generations and others, these options should
> transform into subcommands (list-generations) of "guix profile".

Yeah, seems more consistent.


I don't have a strong opinion on this whole thing but I think a clear
and logical categorization like the above would be a good base.  One
could then add abbreviations on top of it like:

    guix install -> guix package install

Hmm, or does 'install' belong to 'profile'?  Or should the whole thing
be called 'guix profile add'?  "Install" kinda implies that something
new will be installed into the system, rather than just some symlinks
shuffled.  (One can see the building or downloading as a special case /
transparent handling of the case where the package to be added to the
profile is not in the store yet.)

BTW if it is to become e.g. 'guix profile add', then combining an
add/remove in one transaction (if it's important to keep that feature)
could look like:

    guix package add foo bar -- remove baz bat

/bikeshedding :-)

Taylan