flake.nix

@@ -236,11 +236,6 @@
           hyperhiveFrontend = system: self.packages.${system}.frontend;
           hyperhiveAssets = system: self.packages.${system}.assets;
           hyperhiveFlake = "${self}";
-          # Store path of the nixpkgs-unstable input this flake was evaluated
-          # with — the channel that carries claude-code. Passed as the default
-          # for `services.hyperhive.c0re.nixpkgsUnstableFlake` so operators can
-          # override it without touching this file.
-          hyperhiveNixpkgsUnstable = "path:${nixpkgs-unstable}";
           # Per-container toplevels — wired into `system.extraDependencies`
           # when `services.hyperhive.c0re.preBuildAgentTemplates` is on so the
           # host system closure pre-fetches the heavy build inputs (#97).

hive-c0re/src/actions.rs

@@ -224,8 +224,6 @@ pub async fn run_approval_spawn(
     let result = lifecycle::spawn(
         &approval.agent,
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         &agent_dir,
         &proposed_dir,
         &applied_dir,
@@ -545,8 +543,6 @@ async fn run_apply_commit(
         };
         if let Err(e) = crate::meta::sync_agents(
             &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-            &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-            &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
             coord.dashboard_port,
             &coord.operator_pronouns,
             &coord.context_window_tokens,
@@ -717,8 +713,6 @@ async fn sync_meta_after_lifecycle(coord: &Coordinator) -> Result<()> {
     let agents = lifecycle::agents_for_meta_listing().await?;
     crate::meta::sync_agents(
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         coord.dashboard_port,
         &coord.operator_pronouns,
         &coord.context_window_tokens,

hive-c0re/src/auto_update.rs

@@ -88,8 +88,6 @@ pub async fn rebuild_agent(
     let result = lifecycle::rebuild(
         name,
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         &agent_dir,
         &applied_dir,
         &claude_dir,
@@ -192,8 +190,6 @@ pub async fn ensure_manager(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
     lifecycle::spawn(
         MANAGER_NAME,
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         &runtime,
         &proposed,
         &applied,

hive-c0re/src/coordinator.rs

@@ -51,19 +51,6 @@ pub struct Coordinator {
     /// URL of the hyperhive flake (no fragment). Inlined into per-agent
     /// `flake.nix` files as `inputs.hyperhive.url`.
     pub hyperhive_flake: String,
-    /// Store-path URL of the nixpkgs to wire into the meta flake as
-    /// `inputs.nixpkgs.url`. Populated by `--nixpkgs-flake` (set by the
-    /// NixOS module to `"path:${pkgs.path}"` so the meta flake always
-    /// tracks the same nixpkgs the host evaluated with — which is the
-    /// host's nixpkgs when `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows =
-    /// "nixpkgs"` is set in the host flake). Empty string = legacy
-    /// `follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs"` behaviour.
-    pub nixpkgs_flake: String,
-    /// Store-path URL for `nixpkgs-unstable` to wire as a top-level meta
-    /// flake input. Hyperhive's `inputs.nixpkgs-unstable` then follows it.
-    /// Set via `--nixpkgs-unstable-flake` from `hive-c0re.nix`. Empty string
-    /// falls back to the legacy `follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs-unstable"`.
-    pub nixpkgs_unstable_flake: String,
     /// TCP port the host's hive-c0re dashboard listens on. Inlined into
     /// each per-agent flake so the agent's web UI can build the right
     /// rebuild-button URL pointing back at the dashboard.
@@ -224,8 +211,6 @@ impl Coordinator {
     pub fn open(
         db_path: &Path,
         hyperhive_flake: String,
-        nixpkgs_flake: String,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake: String,
         dashboard_port: u16,
         operator_pronouns: String,
         context_window_tokens: std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
@@ -257,8 +242,6 @@ impl Coordinator {
             scheduled_prompts: Arc::new(scheduled_prompts),
             build_logs,
             hyperhive_flake,
-            nixpkgs_flake,
-            nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
             dashboard_port,
             operator_pronouns,
             context_window_tokens,

hive-c0re/src/lifecycle.rs

@@ -185,8 +185,6 @@ async fn port_collision(self_name: &str) -> Option<String> {
 pub async fn spawn(
     name: &str,
     hyperhive_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: &str,
     agent_dir: &Path,
     proposed_dir: &Path,
     applied_dir: &Path,
@@ -213,8 +211,6 @@ pub async fn spawn(
     let agents = agents_after_spawn(name).await?;
     crate::meta::sync_agents(
         hyperhive_flake,
-        nixpkgs_flake,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         context_window_tokens,
@@ -353,8 +349,6 @@ pub async fn destroy(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
 pub async fn rebuild(
     name: &str,
     hyperhive_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: &str,
     agent_dir: &Path,
     applied_dir: &Path,
     claude_dir: &Path,
@@ -372,8 +366,6 @@ pub async fn rebuild(
     let agents = agents_for_meta(None).await?;
     crate::meta::sync_agents(
         hyperhive_flake,
-        nixpkgs_flake,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         context_window_tokens,

hive-c0re/src/main.rs

@@ -36,23 +36,6 @@ enum Cmd {
         /// `flake.nix` as the `hyperhive` input.
         #[arg(long, default_value = "/etc/hyperhive")]
         hyperhive_flake: String,
-        /// Store-path URL of the nixpkgs to wire into the meta flake as
-        /// `inputs.nixpkgs.url`. Set by the NixOS module to
-        /// `"path:${pkgs.path}"` so the meta flake tracks exactly the
-        /// nixpkgs the host was evaluated with (the host's own nixpkgs
-        /// when `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"` is
-        /// set, otherwise hyperhive's pin). Empty = legacy
-        /// `follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs"` fallback.
-        #[arg(long, default_value = "")]
-        nixpkgs_flake: String,
-        /// Store-path URL of the nixpkgs-unstable to wire into the meta
-        /// flake as `inputs.nixpkgs-unstable.url`. Hyperhive's
-        /// `inputs.nixpkgs-unstable` then follows this top-level input.
-        /// Set by the NixOS module; defaults to the hyperhive flake's own
-        /// nixpkgs-unstable store path. Empty = legacy
-        /// `follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs-unstable"` fallback.
-        #[arg(long, default_value = "")]
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake: String,
         /// Path to the sqlite message store.
         #[arg(long, default_value = "/var/lib/hyperhive/broker.sqlite")]
         db: PathBuf,
@@ -135,8 +118,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     match cli.cmd {
         Cmd::Serve {
             hyperhive_flake,
-            nixpkgs_flake,
-            nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
             db,
             dashboard_port,
             operator_pronouns,
@@ -144,8 +125,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
         } => {
             cmd_serve(
                 hyperhive_flake,
-                nixpkgs_flake,
-                nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
                 db,
                 dashboard_port,
                 operator_pronouns,
@@ -193,8 +172,6 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
 /// dashboard), then serve the admin socket until a signal arrives.
 async fn cmd_serve(
     hyperhive_flake: String,
-    nixpkgs_flake: String,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: String,
     db: std::path::PathBuf,
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: String,
@@ -206,8 +183,6 @@ async fn cmd_serve(
     let coord = Arc::new(Coordinator::open(
         &db,
         hyperhive_flake,
-        nixpkgs_flake,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         cwt,

hive-c0re/src/meta.rs

@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ pub fn meta_dir() -> PathBuf {
 #[allow(dead_code, clippy::implicit_hasher)] // first caller lands in a later commit
 pub async fn sync_agents(
     hyperhive_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: &str,
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: &str,
     context_window_tokens: &std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
@@ -65,8 +63,6 @@ pub async fn sync_agents(
 
     let new_flake = render_flake(
         hyperhive_flake,
-        nixpkgs_flake,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         context_window_tokens,
@@ -304,8 +300,6 @@ pub async fn lock_update_hyperhive() -> Result<()> {
 
 fn render_flake(
     hyperhive_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: &str,
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: &str,
     context_window_tokens: &std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
@@ -313,8 +307,6 @@ fn render_flake(
 ) -> String {
     render_flake_with_lookup(
         hyperhive_flake,
-        nixpkgs_flake,
-        nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         dashboard_port,
         operator_pronouns,
         context_window_tokens,
@@ -400,8 +392,6 @@ fn agent_canonical_inputs(name: &str) -> Vec<&'static str> {
 )]
 fn render_flake_with_lookup<F>(
     hyperhive_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_flake: &str,
-    nixpkgs_unstable_flake: &str,
     dashboard_port: u16,
     operator_pronouns: &str,
     context_window_tokens: &std::collections::HashMap<String, u64>,
@@ -414,35 +404,28 @@ where
     use std::fmt::Write as _;
     let mut out = String::new();
     out.push_str("{\n  description = \"hyperhive deployed agents\";\n  inputs = {\n");
-    // `nixpkgs` + `nixpkgs-unstable` are top-level meta inputs with explicit
-    // store-path URLs. `hyperhive` then follows them via
-    // `hyperhive.inputs.*.follows`. This cascades through to every agent
-    // because `agent-<n>.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"` resolves to
-    // the same top-level node.
+    // hyperhive's own flake.nix is the single channel-pin authority.
+    // meta declares `nixpkgs` + `nixpkgs-unstable` as aliases for
+    // hyperhive's sub-inputs via `follows`, so every agent-level
+    // `inputs.<X>.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"` directive
+    // resolves transitively to hyperhive's pin. One channel decision
+    // in the whole tree, no second source to drift.
     //
-    // Why explicit `path:` URLs instead of
-    // `nixpkgs.follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs"`:
-    // meta points to hyperhive's *store path* as its flake input, so nix
-    // reads hyperhive's own pinned lock when evaluating that input — the
-    // host-level `follows` the operator set never propagates. Injecting the
-    // evaluated `pkgs.path` / nixpkgs-unstable path directly at nix-module
-    // evaluation time is the only reliable way to honour the host's channel
-    // choice.
+    // All nixpkgs follow the one hyperhive was deployed with —
+    // anything else would drift.
     //
-    // Fallback (both flake args empty): legacy `follows` wiring — used when
-    // hive-c0re is not built with this option wired up.
-    if nixpkgs_flake.is_empty() {
-        // Legacy path: meta defers to hyperhive's own lock.
-        let _ = writeln!(out, "    hyperhive.url = \"{hyperhive_flake}\";");
-        out.push_str("    nixpkgs.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs\";\n");
-        out.push_str("    nixpkgs-unstable.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs-unstable\";\n");
-    } else {
-        let _ = writeln!(out, "    nixpkgs.url = \"{nixpkgs_flake}\";");
-        let _ = writeln!(out, "    nixpkgs-unstable.url = \"{nixpkgs_unstable_flake}\";");
-        let _ = writeln!(out, "    hyperhive.url = \"{hyperhive_flake}\";");
-        out.push_str("    hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = \"nixpkgs\";\n");
-        out.push_str("    hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs-unstable.follows = \"nixpkgs-unstable\";\n");
-    }
+    // Operators who want to slide the whole swarm onto a different
+    // channel do it at the host level via
+    // `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"`, which
+    // makes hyperhive's nixpkgs = the host's nixpkgs and cascades
+    // through to every agent.
+    //
+    // `nixpkgs` is still a single canonical name in the meta tree,
+    // it just resolves through hyperhive instead of being its own
+    // root input.
+    let _ = writeln!(out, "    hyperhive.url = \"{hyperhive_flake}\";");
+    out.push_str("    nixpkgs.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs\";\n");
+    out.push_str("    nixpkgs-unstable.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs-unstable\";\n");
     for spec in agents {
         let _ = writeln!(
             out,
@@ -704,67 +687,41 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn render_flake_uses_explicit_nixpkgs_url_when_provided() {
+    fn render_flake_aliases_nixpkgs_to_hyperhive() {
         let out = render_flake(
             "github:example/hyperhive",
-            "path:/nix/store/aaaa-nixpkgs-source",
-            "path:/nix/store/bbbb-nixpkgs-unstable-source",
-            8000,
-            "she/her",
-            &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
-            &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
-        );
-        // Both nixpkgs + nixpkgs-unstable are top-level inputs with
-        // explicit URLs; hyperhive follows them.
-        assert!(
-            out.contains("nixpkgs.url = \"path:/nix/store/aaaa-nixpkgs-source\""),
-            "expected explicit nixpkgs.url:\n{out}"
-        );
-        assert!(
-            out.contains("nixpkgs-unstable.url = \"path:/nix/store/bbbb-nixpkgs-unstable-source\""),
-            "expected explicit nixpkgs-unstable.url:\n{out}"
-        );
-        assert!(
-            out.contains("hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = \"nixpkgs\""),
-            "expected hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows:\n{out}"
-        );
-        assert!(
-            out.contains("hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs-unstable.follows = \"nixpkgs-unstable\""),
-            "expected hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs-unstable.follows:\n{out}"
-        );
-        assert!(
-            !out.contains("nixpkgs.follows = \"hyperhive"),
-            "old-style follows must not appear when flake args are set:\n{out}"
-        );
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn render_flake_falls_back_to_follows_when_nixpkgs_flake_empty() {
-        // Empty nixpkgs_flake → legacy follows behaviour (backward compat
-        // for any code path that can't inject pkgs.path).
-        let out = render_flake(
-            "github:example/hyperhive",
-            "",
-            "",
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
             &[sample_spec("alice", false, 9001)],
         );
+        // Meta's `nixpkgs` + `nixpkgs-unstable` are aliases for
+        // hyperhive's sub-inputs. Single channel-pin authority:
+        // hyperhive's own flake.nix. All nixpkgs follow the one
+        // hyperhive was deployed with.
         assert!(
             out.contains("nixpkgs.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs\""),
-            "expected fallback follows:\n{out}"
+            "missing nixpkgs follows alias:\n{out}"
         );
         assert!(
             out.contains("nixpkgs-unstable.follows = \"hyperhive/nixpkgs-unstable\""),
-            "expected fallback unstable follows:\n{out}"
+            "missing nixpkgs-unstable follows alias:\n{out}"
         );
+        // And conversely: no literal channel ref baked into meta. If
+        // this fails, someone reintroduced a hardcoded ref — would
+        // drift away from hyperhive's pin.
         assert!(
             !out.contains("nixpkgs.url ="),
-            "no explicit url should be emitted in fallback mode:\n{out}"
+            "no literal `nixpkgs.url` should be emitted (hyperhive owns the pin):\n{out}"
         );
     }
 
+    // `render_flake_collapses_hyperhive_nixpkgs_via_follows` dropped:
+    // with meta's `nixpkgs.follows = "hyperhive/nixpkgs"`, there's no
+    // separate meta-level nixpkgs to collapse hyperhive's into. The
+    // redirect goes the other way now (the alias test above covers
+    // the new invariant).
+
     #[test]
     fn render_flake_emits_follows_for_agents_declaring_nixpkgs() {
         // Stub lookup: pretend `bitburner` declares `nixpkgs` at its
@@ -778,8 +735,6 @@ mod tests {
         };
         let out = render_flake_with_lookup(
             "github:example/hyperhive",
-            "path:/nix/store/aaaa-nixpkgs-source",
-            "path:/nix/store/bbbb-nixpkgs-unstable-source",
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),
@@ -813,8 +768,6 @@ mod tests {
     fn render_flake_skips_canonical_follows_when_lookup_returns_empty() {
         let out = render_flake_with_lookup(
             "github:example/hyperhive",
-            "path:/nix/store/aaaa-nixpkgs-source",
-            "path:/nix/store/bbbb-nixpkgs-unstable-source",
             8000,
             "she/her",
             &std::collections::HashMap::new(),

hive-c0re/src/migrate.rs

@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ pub async fn run(coord: &Arc<Coordinator>) -> Result<()> {
         .unwrap_or_default();
     if let Err(e) = meta::sync_agents(
         &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-        &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
         coord.dashboard_port,
         &coord.operator_pronouns,
         &coord.context_window_tokens,

hive-c0re/src/server.rs

@@ -87,8 +87,6 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 match lifecycle::spawn(
                     name,
                     &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-                    &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-                    &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
                     &agent_dir,
                     &proposed_dir,
                     &applied_dir,
@@ -153,8 +151,6 @@ async fn dispatch(req: &HostRequest, coord: Arc<Coordinator>) -> HostResponse {
                 let result = lifecycle::rebuild(
                     name,
                     &coord.hyperhive_flake,
-                    &coord.nixpkgs_flake,
-                    &coord.nixpkgs_unstable_flake,
                     &agent_dir,
                     &applied_dir,
                     &claude_dir,

nix/modules/hive-c0re.nix

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
   hyperhiveFrontend,
   hyperhiveAssets,
   hyperhiveFlake,
-  hyperhiveNixpkgsUnstable,
   agentBaseToplevel,
   managerToplevel,
 }:
@@ -188,43 +187,6 @@ in
         only override if you want agents tracking a different ref.
       '';
     };
-    nixpkgsFlake = lib.mkOption {
-      type = lib.types.str;
-      default = "path:${pkgs.path}";
-      defaultText = lib.literalMD "`\"path:\${pkgs.path}\"`";
-      description = ''
-        Store-path URL for the `nixpkgs` input in the generated meta
-        flake. The meta flake declares this as a top-level input and
-        wires `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs"` so
-        every agent container evaluates with this exact nixpkgs.
-
-        Defaults to `"path:''${pkgs.path}"` — the store path of the
-        nixpkgs the host NixOS module was evaluated with. When the
-        operator sets `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs.follows =
-        "nixpkgs"` in their host flake, `pkgs.path` resolves to the
-        host's own nixpkgs, so agents transparently track the same
-        channel as the host.
-
-        Override to pin agents to a specific nixpkgs version regardless
-        of the host's channel.
-      '';
-    };
-    nixpkgsUnstableFlake = lib.mkOption {
-      type = lib.types.str;
-      default = hyperhiveNixpkgsUnstable;
-      defaultText = lib.literalMD "hyperhive's own `nixpkgs-unstable` store path";
-      description = ''
-        Store-path URL for the `nixpkgs-unstable` input in the generated
-        meta flake. The meta flake declares this as a top-level input and
-        wires `inputs.hyperhive.inputs.nixpkgs-unstable.follows =
-        "nixpkgs-unstable"` so agents use this exact unstable nixpkgs.
-
-        Defaults to the store path of the `nixpkgs-unstable` input
-        hyperhive's own `flake.nix` was evaluated with (the channel that
-        carries `claude-code`). Override when you want to track a newer
-        unstable snapshot or a custom `claude-code` package.
-      '';
-    };
     dashboardPort = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.port;
       default = 7000;
@@ -411,7 +373,7 @@ in
         );
       };
       serviceConfig = {
-        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/hive-c0re --socket /run/hyperhive/host.sock serve --hyperhive-flake ${cfg.hyperhiveFlake} --nixpkgs-flake ${cfg.nixpkgsFlake} --nixpkgs-unstable-flake ${cfg.nixpkgsUnstableFlake} --dashboard-port ${toString cfg.dashboardPort} --operator-pronouns ${lib.escapeShellArg cfg.operatorPronouns} --context-window-tokens ${lib.escapeShellArg (builtins.toJSON cfg.contextWindowTokens)}";
+        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/hive-c0re --socket /run/hyperhive/host.sock serve --hyperhive-flake ${cfg.hyperhiveFlake} --dashboard-port ${toString cfg.dashboardPort} --operator-pronouns ${lib.escapeShellArg cfg.operatorPronouns} --context-window-tokens ${lib.escapeShellArg (builtins.toJSON cfg.contextWindowTokens)}";
         Restart = "on-failure";
         RestartSec = 2;
         RuntimeDirectory = "hyperhive";