Re: Command consistency: suggestion

[Simon Tournier]

Hi,

On Mon, 09 Jan 2023 at 12:22, Paul Jewell via "Development of GNU Guix and the 
GNU System distribution." <guix-devel@gnu.org> wrote:

> guix package --list-generations
>
> and
>
> guix system list-generations
>
> guix package has everything as an flag, but guix system (and guix home) 
> uses the concept of ACTION with options and arguments.

Well, “guix package“ also uses action and it is possible to combine
them.  For an example about the issue it leads, see bug#50473 [1].

1: <http://issues.guix.gnu.org/issue/50473>

> Perhaps the latter is clearer, and guix package should also follow the 
> same model?

It is often discussed. :-) Well, ‘guix package’ uses SRFI-37 [2] and it
is possible to combine some action; as --switch-generation and
--delete-generations for instance.  Aside note that one transaction can
install and remove:

    guix package -i foo -r bar

which would not be possible when using single action.

The CLI of ‘guix package’ will not change, IMHO.  The mitigation of what
you are considering as an inconsistency is to have “alias“; guix search,
guix, install, guix remove, etc.

Last, we could imagine a Guix extension [3] and then (not checked :-))
maybe the user could opt in and install this extension for replacement.

2: <https://www.gnu.org/software/guile/manual/html_node/SRFI_002d37.html>
3: <https://10years.guix.gnu.org/video/guix-repl-to-infinity-and-beyond>

Cheers,
simon