# nixsync

Export and import vault settings and plugins as Nix.

## What it does

Export dumps your Obsidian config to a single `.nix` file:

```nix
# obsidian.nix
{
  config = {
    app = { ... };
    appearance = { ... };
    hotkeys = { ... };
  };

  plugins = {
    dataview = {
      manifest = { ... };
      settings = { ... };
    };
  };
}
```

Import reads that file back and writes config + plugin settings to `.obsidian/`.

## Usage

Open command palette:

- **Export settings as Nix file** - writes `obsidian.nix` to vault root
- **Import settings from Nix file** - pick a `.nix` file, applies settings (reload Obsidian after)

## Settings

| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Export file name | `obsidian.nix` | Output file name |
| Open after export | on | Opens exported file in Obsidian |
| App config | on | `app.json` - editor, default view |
| Appearance | on | `appearance.json` - theme, font, accent |
| Core plugins | on | `core-plugins.json` - enabled built-ins |
| Graph settings | on | `graph.json` |
| Workspace | on | `workspace.json` - panel layout |
| Strip ephemeral workspace fields | on | Removes last-open files, active file, panel state (machine-specific) |
| Hotkeys | on | `hotkeys.json` |
| Community plugins | on | Plugin manifests |
| Plugin settings | on | Plugin `data.json` - disable if configs contain secrets |
| Generate NixOS integration files | off | Also exports `obsidian-activate.sh` |

## NixOS integration

Enable **Generate NixOS integration files** to also export `obsidian-activate.sh`.

The script takes the exported `.nix` file, evaluates it with `nix eval --json`, and writes config + plugin files to `~/.obsidian/`. Requires `nix` and `jq`.

```bash
bash obsidian-activate.sh /path/to/obsidian.nix
```

**Note:** restores settings and plugin data only. Plugin JS files are not included - Obsidian still needs to download plugins itself.

### home-manager

```nix
home.file.".obsidian-config/export.nix".source = ./dotfiles/obsidian.nix;

home.activation.obsidian-restore = lib.hm.dag.entryAfter ["writeBoundary"] ''
  ${pkgs.bash}/bin/bash ${./dotfiles/obsidian-activate.sh} \
    $HOME/.obsidian-config/export.nix
'';
```

### configuration.nix

```nix
system.activationScripts.obsidian-restore = {
  text = ''
    ${pkgs.bash}/bin/bash /etc/obsidian-activate.sh /etc/obsidian.nix
  '';
};

environment.etc."obsidian.nix".source = ./dotfiles/obsidian.nix;
environment.etc."obsidian-activate.sh".source = ./dotfiles/obsidian-activate.sh;
```

## Limitations

The import parser handles literal Nix values only: strings, numbers, booleans, null, arrays, and attribute sets. If you hand-edit the exported `.nix` file and add Nix-specific syntax — string interpolation (`${...}`), function calls, `let`/`in` expressions, or `import` — the import command will fail or silently corrupt those values. Keep the file as plain data; use the activation script for evaluated Nix. Feel free to fix this, I do not know when I will get around to this.

## Sync workflow

```bash
# Machine A - after updating settings
# Command palette → Export settings as Nix file
git add obsidian.nix && git commit -m "chore: update obsidian settings"
git push

# Machine B
git pull
bash obsidian-activate.sh obsidian.nix
# restart Obsidian
```