gambit-nix

Nix build system for Gambit Scheme with an overlay that wraps the Gambit compiler toolchain.

Features

• Nix Overlay: Integration into existing Nix projects via a single overlay.
• R7RS Support: First-class support for R7RS library definitions (.sld files using define-library).
• Cached Compilation: Libraries are compiled to C and object files once and reused across application builds.
• Static Linking: Applications are statically linked with their dependencies.
• Development Shell: Pre-configured gsi REPL with access to your project's dependencies.

Usage

Add gambit-nix to your flake.nix inputs and apply the overlay:

inputs.gambit-nix.url = "github:omarjatoi/gambit-nix";

# inside outputs:
pkgs = import nixpkgs {
  inherit system;
  overlays = [ gambit-nix.overlays.default ];
};

Libraries

Libraries must use R7RS define-library in .sld files. The build compiles each .sld to C and object files for static linking, and installs the sources for downstream import resolution.

my-lib = pkgs.gambit-overlay.buildGambitLibrary {
  name = "my-lib";
  src = ./lib; # Directory containing .sld files
};

Applications

my-app = pkgs.gambit-overlay.buildGambitApp {
  name = "my-app";
  src = ./src;
  main = "main.scm";  # Entry point (default: main.scm)
  dependencies = [ my-lib ];
};

The app build compiles only the application source. Pre-compiled dependency objects are linked directly from the Nix store without recompilation.

Dependencies

The dependencies list accepts both derivations and flake inputs. Flake inputs are automatically resolved to packages.${system}.default.

Flake dependency (has its own buildGambitLibrary):

inputs.some-lib.url = "github:user/repo";

# inside buildGambitApp or buildGambitLibrary:
dependencies = [ inputs.some-lib ];

Non-Nix Gambit library (raw .sld source):

inputs.some-lib-src.url = "github:user/repo";

# inside outputs:
some-lib = pkgs.gambit-overlay.buildGambitLibrary {
  name = "some-lib";
  src = inputs.some-lib-src;
};

# then use in dependencies:
dependencies = [ some-lib ];

Development Shell

devShells.default = pkgs.gambit-overlay.gambitDevShell {
  dependencies = [ my-lib ];
};

Inside the shell, gsi and gsc are wrapped with the correct search paths:

$ gsi
> (import (my-lib))
> (my-function ...)

Templates

Flake templates to quickly scaffold new Gambit projects:

# New application project
nix flake init -t github:omarjatoi/gambit-nix#app

# New library project
nix flake init -t github:omarjatoi/gambit-nix#library

License

Licensed under either of

• Apache License, Version 2.0, (LICENSE-APACHE or https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
• MIT license (LICENSE-MIT or https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

at your option.

Contribution

Unless you explicitly state otherwise, any contribution intentionally submitted for inclusion in the work by you, as defined in the Apache-2.0 license, shall be dual licensed as above, without any additional terms or conditions.