NixOS 23.05: Desktop Environment Updates and New Services

- The internal option `boot.bootspec.enable` is now enabled by default because [RFC 0125](https://github.com/NixOS/rfcs/pull/125) was merged. This means you will have a bootspec document called `boot.json` generated for each system and specialisation in the top-level. This is useful to enable advanced boot use cases in NixOS, such as Secure Boot. - Two changes to `nixos-rebuild` are important to highlight as well. - Support for an extra `--specialisation` option was added that can be used to change specialisation for `switch` and `test` commands. - The `--target-host` and `--build-host` options no longer treat the `localhost` value specially – to build on resp. deploy to a local machine, omit the relevant flag. - [Python](https://www.python.org) implements [PEP 668](https://peps.python.org/pep-0668/), providing better feedback to users that try to run `pip install` for system-wide or user home installations. - [Cinnamon](https://github.com/linuxmint/Cinnamon) has been updated to version 5.6, see [the pull request](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/201328#issue-1449910204) for what was changed. - [GNOME](https://www.gnome.org) has been updated to version 44, see the [the release notes](https://release.gnome.org/44/) for details. - [KDE Plasma](https://kde.org/de/plasma-desktop/) has been updated to version 5.27, see [the release notes](https://kde.org/announcements/plasma/5/5.27.0/) for what was changed. - `openra` was updated to `20230225`. Due to large scope of the update, currently only `openraPackages.engines.release` and `openraPackages.engines.latest` packages are available. If you want to use the old engine versions or mods, they were moved to the `openraPackages_2019` namespace. ## New Services {#sec-release-23.05-new-services} - [Akkoma](https://akkoma.social), an ActivityPub microblogging server. Available as [services.akkoma](options.html#opt-services.akkoma.enable). - [alertmanager-irc-relay](https://github.com/google/alertmanager-irc-relay), a Prometheus Alertmanager IRC Relay. Available as [services.prometheus.alertmanagerIrcRelay](options.html#opt-services.prometheus.alertmanagerIrcRelay.enable). - [alice-lg](https://github.com/alice-lg/alice-lg), a looking-glass for BGP sessions. Available as [services.alice-lg](#opt-services.alice-lg.enable). - [atuin](https://github.com/ellie/atuin), a sync server for shell history. Available as [services.atuin](#opt-services.atuin.enable). - [authelia](https://www.authelia.com/), an open-source authentication and authorization server. Available as [services.authelia](options.html#opt-services.authelia.enable). - [birdwatcher](github.com/alice-lg/birdwatcher), a small HTTP server meant to provide an API defined by Barry O'Donovan's birds-eye to the BIRD internet routing daemon. Available as [services.birdwatcher](#opt-services.birdwatcher.enable). - [blesh](https://github.com/akinomyoga/ble.sh), a line editor written in pure bash. Available as [programs.bash.blesh](#opt-programs.bash.blesh.enable). - [Budgie Desktop](https://github.com/BuddiesOfBudgie/budgie-desktop), a familiar, modern desktop environment. Available as [services.xserver.desktopManager.budgie](options.html#opt-services.xserver.desktopManager.budgie). - [clash-verge](https://github.com/zzzgydi/clash-verge), a Clash GUI based on tauri. Available as [programs.clash-verge](#opt-programs.clash-verge.enable). - [Cloudlog](https://www.magicbug.co.uk/cloudlog/), a web-based Amateur Radio logging application. Available as [services.cloudlog](#opt-services.cloudlog.enable). - [consul-template](https://github.com/hashicorp/consul-template/), a template renderer, notifier, and supervisor for HashiCorp Consul and Vault data. Available as [services.consul-template](#opt-services.consul-template.instances). - [cups-pdf-to-pdf](https://github.com/alexivkin/CUPS-PDF-to-PDF), a PDF-generating CUPS backend based on [cups-pdf](https://www.cups-pdf.de/). Available as [services.printing.cups-pdf](#opt-services.printing.cups-pdf.enable).

This section details further highlights of NixOS 23.05, including `boot.bootspec.enable` now being default for advanced boot use cases like Secure Boot, and updates to `nixos-rebuild` with a new `--specialisation` option. Python now implements PEP 668 for improved `pip install` feedback. Major desktop environments have been updated: Cinnamon to 5.6, GNOME to 44, and KDE Plasma to 5.27. The `openra` package was updated to `20230225`. Additionally, a significant number of new services have been introduced, such as Akkoma, alertmanager-irc-relay, atuin, authelia, the Budgie Desktop, and many others, expanding NixOS's functionality across various domains.