Skip to main content
Valkyrie is a WSL2 instance running NixOS, configured for development work on Windows systems. It combines workstation capabilities with headless operation for a powerful development environment.

​
Overview

System type

WSL2 NixOS instance for Windows development
This system provides a full NixOS development environment inside Windows using WSL2, giving you access to Linux tools and workflows without dual-booting.

​
System configuration

Valkyrie uses both workstation and headless profiles: 
garden = {
  profiles = {
    workstation.enable = true;
    headless.enable = true;
  };
};

​
Profiles

  • workstation: Enables development tools and user-friendly configurations
  • headless: Optimizes for command-line operation without graphical interface
The combination of workstation and headless profiles gives you development tools without the overhead of a GUI.

​
Device configuration

The system is configured specifically for WSL2 constraints: 
device = {
  cpu = null;
  gpu = null;
  capabilities = {
    tpm = true;
    bluetooth = false;
  };
  keyboard = "us";
};

​
Device settings

  • cpu/gpu: Set to null since WSL2 virtualizes hardware access
  • tpm: Enabled for security features
  • bluetooth: Disabled (not applicable in WSL2)
  • keyboard: US layout

​
Boot configuration

WSL2 requires special boot settings: 
system = {
  boot = {
    loader = "none";
    secureBoot = false;
    enableKernelTweaks = true;
    loadRecommendedModules = true;
    
    initrd = {
      enableTweaks = true;
      optimizeCompressor = true;
    };
  };
};

​
Boot settings

  • loader: Set to "none" since WSL2 doesn’t use traditional boot loaders
  • secureBoot: Disabled (not applicable in WSL2)
  • enableKernelTweaks: Enables performance optimizations
  • loadRecommendedModules: Loads modules for better compatibility
  • initrd tweaks: Optimizes the initial ramdisk for faster boot times
WSL2 handles booting differently than traditional Linux systems, so the boot loader is disabled.

​
System features

​
Emulation

system = {
  emulation.enable = true;
};
Emulation support is enabled, allowing you to run software compiled for different architectures.

​
Bluetooth

system = {
  bluetooth.enable = false;
};
Bluetooth is explicitly disabled since it’s not functional in WSL2 environments.

​
User configuration

Valkyrie includes a custom user setup: 
home-manager.users.isabel = {
  garden.programs.defaults.shell = "fish";
  
  programs = {
    fish.enable = true;
  };
};
The user isabel is configured with:
  • Fish shell as the default shell
  • Fish shell program enabled
Fish provides a user-friendly command-line experience with autosuggestions and syntax highlighting out of the box.

​
Use cases

Valkyrie is ideal for:
  • Cross-platform development: Work with Linux tools on Windows
  • Testing configurations: Try out NixOS configurations before deploying to servers
  • Development workflows: Use Unix tools and scripting in a Windows environment
  • Learning NixOS: Experiment with NixOS without a dedicated machine

​
WSL2 integration

The system integrates with Windows through WSL2:
  • Access Windows files through /mnt/c/
  • Run Linux binaries alongside Windows applications
  • Share network stack with Windows
  • Use Windows terminal emulators to access the instance
WSL2 provides near-native Linux performance while integrating seamlessly with Windows.
  • Hephaestus - UpCloud server hosting kittysay.xyz
  • Isis - UpCloud server hosting tgirl.cloud
  • Lilith - NixOS installation ISO system

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us