[auto-upgrade-with-pinch] / README.md

# auto-upgrade-with-[pinch](https://git.scottworley.com/pinch)

Automatically update a [NixOS](https://nixos.org/) machine from a remote
git repo.

The advantage of this over [NixOps](nixos.org/nixops) is in
authentication: NixOps requires granting a general-purpose administrator
credential for the machines under management to the actor pushing
the updates.  This credential is intended to be used only for pushing
updates, but could be used for any other purpose.  Reliably logging and
auditing what is done with this credential if it is used interactively
is extremely difficult.

This tool, on the other hand, only applies configuration changes
recorded in a git repository.  This is transparent and easy to audit.
Configuration updates are pulled, not pushed.  Configuration updates
must be signed (with normal git commit signatures).  Force-pushed updates
are rejected.  Additional policy can be easily enforced with normal git
repository control mechanisms, such as requiring code reviews.
Commit	Line	Data
15d7ea95 SW	1	# auto-upgrade-with-[pinch](https://git.scottworley.com/pinch)
	2
	3	Automatically update a [NixOS](https://nixos.org/) machine from a remote
	4	git repo.
	5
	6	The advantage of this over [NixOps](nixos.org/nixops) is in
	7	authentication: NixOps requires granting a general-purpose administrator
	8	credential for the machines under management to the actor pushing
	9	the updates. This credential is intended to be used only for pushing
	10	updates, but could be used for any other purpose. Reliably logging and
	11	auditing what is done with this credential if it is used interactively
	12	is extremely difficult.
	13
	14	This tool, on the other hand, only applies configuration changes
	15	recorded in a git repository. This is transparent and easy to audit.
	16	Configuration updates are pulled, not pushed. Configuration updates
	17	must be signed (with normal git commit signatures). Force-pushed updates
	18	are rejected. Additional policy can be easily enforced with normal git
	19	repository control mechanisms, such as requiring code reviews.