GitHub Actions Runner Images: Feature a NixOS Image

Malix · August 13, 2026, 5:44pm

Please add your “” on it

Feature a NixOS Image

opened 05:40PM - 13 Aug 26 UTC

[Nix](https://nixos.org/) is a purely functional package manager and build syste…m which is increasingly used in GitHub Actions and Workflows. Its package collection, [nixpkgs](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs), is also the most comprehensive in the world **BY FAR**: ![Repology: Graph - Repository size/freshness map](https://repology.org/graph/map_repo_size_fresh.svg) It also is gaining exponential popularity over the years and has arguably recently reached escape velocity for building, packaging, and configuring software: [<img width="2108" height="819" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/82412bcb-244e-4ee8-8a33-a3730a826321" />](https://trends.google.com/explore?q=%2Fg%2F11bw4cknm7&date=2020-01-01%202026-06-30&geo=Worldwide) Featuring Nix in another standard image such as `ubuntu` ones has already been requested: - https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/376 - https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/1579 - https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/7066 However, they do not solve the fundamental issue with using Nix in standard runners: **The bloat from pre-installed software makes Nix runs out of space** A few projects work around this, including generic ones but also more specialized ones for Nix: - https://github.com/wimpysworld/nothing-but-nix - https://github.com/Malix-Labs/GitHub-Action_Nix-Reclaim (my own project, which was the main inspiration for me creating this issue in the first place) But something architecturally more correct would be to feature a dedicated NixOS image so that the whole runner would be dedicated to Nix. This would end up not only fixing the storage issue when using Nix in GitHub Actions, but also being probably more efficient for both GitHub and GitHub Actions users.

Malix · August 14, 2026, 12:12am

Most upvoted open issue in 6h, cool

Malix · August 14, 2026, 9:13am

Kranzes · August 14, 2026, 9:57am

I’ll eat a shoe if this ever happens

NotAShelf · August 14, 2026, 10:18am

Then I suggest you prepare to do so

mightyiam · August 14, 2026, 10:57am

Kranzes · August 14, 2026, 7:06pm

Bought a new pair of shoes today, so I can eat the old ones.