Nix Samba is a graphical application for mounting Samba (CIFS) network shares on GLF-OS without using the terminal. It automatically generates the NixOS configuration and rebuilds the system.
Launch the application
The application is accessible from:
- the Applications > System > Nix Samba menu
- or via the terminal:
nix-samba
Features
The main screen offers three actions:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| List shares | View, edit or delete configured network shares |
| Add a share | Configure a new Samba mount |
| Create a credentials file | Generate a secure authentication file (required for some shares) |
Add a network share
Click Add a share and fill in the fields:
Basic settings
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bookmark | A name to identify the share | Office NAS |
| Mount path | Local folder where the share will be accessible | /media/office-nas |
| Remote address | Server address in //host/share format |
//192.168.1.100/Documents |
| Filesystem type | Protocol used (CIFS by default) | cifs |
Credentials
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Credentials file | Path to the file containing login/password | /home/user/.smb-credentials |
| User (UID) | Local owner of mounted files | user (1000) |
| Group (GID) | Local group of mounted files | users (100) |
Info: The user and group are selected via dropdown menus that automatically list system accounts.
Systemd options
| Option | Description | Default value |
|---|---|---|
| Mount behavior | Mount at boot or on access | Mount on access |
| Idle timeout | Delay in seconds before automatic unmount | 300 (5 min) |
| Device timeout | Wait time for the network device | 10s |
| Mount timeout | Wait time for the mount operation | 10s |
Note: The "Mount on access" mode is recommended. The share will only be mounted when you access the folder, and will be automatically unmounted after the idle timeout. This is ideal if the server is not always powered on.
Create a credentials file
If your Samba share requires authentication, you must create a credentials file before adding the share.
Click Create a credentials file and fill in:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| File path | Where to save the file | /home/user/.smb-credentials |
| Username | Samba share login | myuser |
| Password | Samba share password | mypassword |
The generated file is automatically protected (permissions 600: only the owner can read it).
Important: Create the credentials file first, then add the share by referencing this file in the "Credentials file" field.
Manage existing shares
Click List shares to see all your configured shares. From this list, you can:
- Edit an existing share (change the path, address, options)
- Delete a share
Save and apply
Once your shares are configured:
- Click the Save on disk button (floppy disk icon at the top right)
- A terminal opens and automatically runs
sudo nixos-rebuild switch - Enter your password if prompted
- Wait for the rebuild to complete
- Close the terminal
Warning: The save button is only active when changes have been made. If you close the application without saving, a warning will ask for confirmation.
How it works
The application generates a file /etc/nixos/customConfig/samba.nix containing the NixOS configuration for your Samba mounts.
Example of a generated file:
{
fileSystems."/media/office-nas" = {
device = "//192.168.1.100/Documents";
fsType = "cifs";
options = [
"credentials=/home/user/.smb-credentials"
"x-systemd.automount"
"x-systemd.idle-timeout=300"
"x-systemd.device-timeout=10s"
"x-systemd.mount-timeout=10s"
"uid=1000"
"gid=100"
"_netdev"
"file_mode=0775"
"dir_mode=0775"
"nofail"
"x-gvfs-hide"
];
};
}
On first launch, if the NixOS configuration does not yet import samba.nix, the application will offer to automatically fix the /etc/nixos/customConfig/default.nix file (an administrator password is required).
Typical use cases
Home NAS
Automatically mount a shared folder from your NAS to access it like a local folder.
Sharing between machines
Share files between multiple computers on your local network.
File server
Access a Windows or Samba file server from GLF-OS.
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