One command: anix
The former abora command surface is now available through anix: update, doctor, apps, gaming, recovery, and more. The abora name remains as a compatibility alias.
Stable release · 2026-11-01
v4.2 · out nowSolstice
Abora OS v4.2 · stable
A safer, simpler Abora: one command instead of two, system changes that roll back when they fail, a doctor that explains and repairs, and an installer that says exactly what went wrong.
The v4.2 release is published. Its GitHub release page does not currently list ISO or checksum assets; check the download page for the latest status before preparing installation media.
Highlights
A calmer system, from install to rollback.
Solstice unifies the command line, makes risky system changes transactional, and gives users clearer diagnostics when something goes wrong.
System changes that undo themselves
System applies, config applies, app installs, and updates are checked, snapshotted, applied, and verified. If a change fails, Abora rolls back to the previous generation and configuration.
A doctor that explains and repairs
anix doctor checks boot, Nix, configuration, channels, desktop, GPU, network, storage, services, and Flatpak. It explains problems plainly and safely repairs what it can.
Packages without a rebuild
Install a nixpkgs package immediately with anix package install, using the exact nixpkgs revision pinned by the system. Keep it across rebuilds with anix package keep. TinyPM is removed.
Installer errors you can act on
The installer distinguishes common hash mismatch causes, identifies the failed build and both hashes, and can save logs to a USB drive for support.
One installer, one ISO
The terminal installer is the only installer. The live ISO boots straight to installation, with no live desktop session or separate desktop editions.
Full and Minimal setups
Choose a full desktop during setup, or use Minimal for a lean system with a compact desktop option or your own configuration.
Bring your own NixOS flake
The installer can wrap your flake with Abora hardware and disk layout. The new adopt-nixos command adds Abora as a flake input without editing your flake.nix.
Choose your NixOS release
Select stable (nixos-26.05) or unstable during installation or later with anix nixos. The updater preserves that choice.
grab app installer
grab searches Nix, Lix, Flatpak, and Snap for an app. Use grab info first to see where an app would come from.
Passwords stay out of the Nix store
Password hashes are stored in /var/lib/abora/secrets instead of /etc/nixos, which is copied into the world-readable store during rebuilds.
A smaller installer engine
Disk, flake, and configuration work runs in a Rust engine with Nix value escaping handled in one place. The terminal screens call the engine.
Choose your install
One ISO. Your desktop.
v4.2 has one universal x86_64 installer. Pick a full desktop or a Minimal setup during installation; there are no separate desktop-edition images.
Full desktop
Choose one of these options, or continue without a desktop.
- COSMIC
- GNOME
- KDE Plasma
- XFCE
- Hyprland
- Cinnamon
- None
Minimal install
Keep the system lean, then choose a small desktop or bring your own.
- IceWM
- LXQt
- Lumina
- Niri
- Sway
- Fluxbox
- Openbox
- Your own
Upgrading
Move to v4.2 with the right updater.
The normal command for v4.2 and later is sudo anix update. Some older releases need a one-time handoff first.
From v4.1 Horizon
Run this once; it points the v4.1 updater at the helper it already ships. After that, use sudo anix update.
bash
$ sudo env ABORA_UPDATE_RESOLVER_BIN=abora-update-resolver abora updateFrom v4.0 Everest
The release notes describe running sudo abora update twice. Direct v4.0 upgrades were not tested; read the limitations before proceeding.
bash
$ sudo abora update$ sudo abora updateWhat changed since 4.1
- ANIX is the single command surface; legacy abora commands remain aliases.
- System and app changes use verified transactions with rollback and history.
- Channels are stable and edge; old demo/dev/unstable names follow edge.
- TinyPM, bundled Modularity, ModuCPP, and the GTK/MINT installer paths are removed.
- The installer can use an existing NixOS flake or adopt an installed NixOS system.
- Choose NixOS stable (nixos-26.05) or unstable at install or later.
Known limitations
Read before installing.
- The v4.1 updater needs a one-time command before its first update to v4.2. The release notes include the exact command; later updates use sudo anix update.
- Testing was done in virtual machines, not on physical hardware. Reports from real machines are welcome.
- NVIDIA systems use the long-term Linux 6.18 kernel because current NVIDIA drivers do not build against Linux 7.3. Other systems use the newest kernel.
- Installing Abora twice while sharing one EFI partition can overwrite the first install’s boot entry. Dual-booting with another OS was not tested.
- Updating directly from v4.0 was not tested. The v4.0 update instructions are included below, but this path has not been validated against current nixpkgs.
- Automatic rollback cannot protect the first installation because there is no earlier system generation to restore.
Get v4.2
One ISO, when the assets are attached.
The published release notes name one universal installer image and a checksum file. The GitHub release page is the source of truth for whether those assets are available.
Expected release files
abora-<stamp>-x86_64-v4.2.isoSHA256SUMS-v4.2.txtOpen the release record to check for the ISO and checksum. Do not use the v4.1 edition images as v4.2 installers.