Benedikt Ritter (he/him)

I live in West Germany with my wife and two little sons.

In my free time I enjoy cycling, reading (space
operas), and video games. I also like to tinker with my computer and am very facinated by NixOS.

I work as an independent developer productivity consultant, co-founded GradleX.org, and am an emeritus Apache Software Foundation member. Last but not least, I co-host my own podcast: Autoweird.fm

#cycling #gravelbike #nixos #linux #gradle #java #podcast

Public Key

npub1zv8fmts7r6eh6gwhan8669xwccaqdq2tl2m3pmyd85euhh7dw7rqlvhga0

NIP-05 Address

britter@chaos-social.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqspxr5a4c0pavmay8t7enadzn8vvwsxs99l4dcsajxn6v7tmlxh0psppamhxue69uhkummnw3ezumt0d5qs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsutldtv

Publishing to

nostr.mom

nos.lol

relay.damus.io

Author Public Key

npub1zv8fmts7r6eh6gwhan8669xwccaqdq2tl2m3pmyd85euhh7dw7rqlvhga0

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Last Notes

2026-10-23 17:27:32 UTC

Received my @nprofile…yl6j phone today. After first excitment about the build quality of the device the frustration started... 🧵

2026-10-23 08:26:54 UTC

Are you building Maven packages using Nix? I got you covered!
https://britter.dev/blog/2026/10/23/maven-build-support-nixpkgs/
#maven #java #nix #nixos

2026-06-28 12:13:38 UTC

Stellt euch vor, wo wir stünden, wenn wir die Warnungen der Wissenschaft seit den 80ern ernst genommen hätten. Wir hätten konsquent in erneuerbare Energien und Dekarbonisierung investiert. Made in Germany das stünde für die fortschrittlichste und umweltfreundlichste Technologie am Markt.
Statt dessen: Diskussion über AKW Laufzeitverlängerung und Verbrenner-Aus Verschiebung.
Deutschland kann die Welt nicht alleine retten, aber wir könnten wengistens mit gutem Beispiel voran gehen.
#klimawandel

2026-05-26 09:02:44 UTC

🚨 New Blog Post 🚨
I finally got to the bottom of why @nprofile…jwla rich console isn't enabled automatically on @nprofile…mvcw and #nix based hosts. Turned out to be quite a journey into Gradle's native-platform internals. Unfortunately I don't see a good way to fix this once and for all 😕
May somebody here has an idea?
Full story: https://britter.dev/blog/2026/05/26/gradle-rich-console-nix/

2026-05-06 09:22:26 UTC

🚨 New Blog Post Alert! 🚨
My latest blog post is again about the intersection of the Java and NixOS ecosystems. This time I wrote a derivation that packages the jfmt formatter as a statically linked binary using GraalVM for use as a formatter in Neovim. It also includes some tips for debugging non-reproducible derivations.
👉 Full Story: https://britter.dev/blog/2026/05/06/jfmt-nixvim/
📄 Code: https://github.com/britter/nix-configuration/blob/de29395c70bba3a5d2b416b97bd8e5cc6955944d/packages/jfmt-java/default.nix
#nixos #java #graalvm #neovim #nixvim

2026-04-18 18:37:07 UTC

Just updated to Linux 7.0. What could possibly go wrong?
#linux #nixos

2026-04-10 08:30:35 UTC

New blog post!
I finally started writing about my home lab. This post is about how I back up data using restic.
Full story: https://britter.dev/blog/2026/04/10/home-lab-backup-with-restic/
#homelab #selfhosting #nixos #restic #backup

2026-04-04 20:47:08 UTC

Finally got all the pieces in place to mount an NFS share from my new TrueNAS server into my NextCloud VM running on NixOS. Next step: move data and reconfigure datadirectory to point to the NFS share mount.
#homelab #truenas #nixos #nextcloud #selfhosting

2026-04-01 06:57:40 UTC

Release Alert!
I just released version 2.2.0 of gh-get - A GitHub CLI extension in the spirit of the ghq tool. Cloning a repository is as easy as
gh get <org>/<repo>
This release features interactive progress login as well as automatically forking repostories.
Get it here: https://github.com/britter/gh-get
Full Story: https://britter.dev/blog/2026/04/01/gh-get-v2-2-0/
#GitHub #CLI

2026-03-31 19:10:27 UTC

Woop woop! My tmuxinator configuration has just been merged into home-manager's main branch! https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager/pull/8954
Read the story behind this here: https://britter.dev/blog/2026/03/23/home-manager-tmuxinator/
#nixos #homemanager #tmux #tmuxinator

2026-03-26 08:49:36 UTC

Everybody has to read this https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-algorithmic-mind/202603/adults-lose-skills-to-ai-children-never-build-them
Unsurprisingly research seems to indicate AI makes us dump and prevents children from developing critical thinking:
> Developers who fully delegated to AI produced working code but failed conceptual quizzes afterward. They couldn't debug what the AI had written for them. They had the output without the understanding.
#ai #vibecoding

2026-02-19 16:53:23 UTC

Plan to remove minIO from nixpkgs: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/490996
#minio #s3 #nixos #nixpkgs

2026-02-05 14:53:12 UTC

Hot take: @nprofile…mvcw should move to @nprofile…mvm4
#nixos #codeberg

2025-12-13 08:00:00 UTC

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@nprofile…l0gk oh wow, all those emojis are giving me strong AI slop vibes...

2025-12-03 19:40:59 UTC

@nprofile…89nd I was about to apply for a membership but I'm getting Internal Server Error when submitting the form 😕

2025-12-01 21:08:21 UTC

🎄 Advent of Donations🎄
This year I've decided to give something back to the open source projects that I rely on day to day. Therefore I'm going to donate $50 each day until Christmas to an open source project that has had a direct impact on me in 2025.
Day 1 is fish shell!
Read more about Advent of Donations on my blog: https://britter.dev/blog/2025/12/01/advent-of-donations/
#opensource #donation #fishshell #terminal

2025-11-18 13:54:06 UTC

Days since half the internet went down because of a single US big tech company: 0
#cloudflare

2025-11-15 16:05:53 UTC

🚨 New blog post: Packaging kotlin-lsp for NixVim
In this short how-to I show how to write a Nix derivation to package kotlin-lsp for use in a NixVim configuration. I also explain a little bit how I approach packaging Java applications with Nix, when I can't build them from source.
https://britter.dev/blog/2025/11/15/kotlin-lsp-nixvim/
#kotlin #java #nix #nixos #neovim #nixvim #developertooling #developerproductivity

2025-06-20 14:11:50 UTC

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@nprofile…ss2n does immich store images in git annex?!

2025-06-06 15:05:07 UTC

New Release v2.4 of https://github.com/gradlex-org/jvm-dependency-conflict-resolution
🔧 Fixes:
- #238: The patch DSL now supports dependencies with non-standard variant names (e.g., com.google.guava).
- #243: Resolved clashes between jakarta.xml.ws:jakarta.xml.ws-api and jakarta.jws:jakarta.jws-api for versions ≤ 4.0.
⚠️ Deprecation:
- #251: GuavaComponentRule is now deprecated in favor of the more flexible and general patch DSL.
#Gradle #DependencyManagement #Java #JVM #OpenSource #DevTools #SoftwareEngineering

2025-04-23 06:48:05 UTC

This is the most to the point introduction about #NixOS I've seen so far https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OMDnZWXjn4
If you've heard about NixOS but never really understood the fuzz about it, this video is for you. In just 4 minutes, you will get an idea about why people love this unique #Linux distribution.
My favorite quote:
> That's the general idea of NixOS, an unbreakable, reproducible, declarative operating system.

2025-03-21 13:18:46 UTC

🌊💻 OceanSprint 2025 – Day 5 🚀
And just like that, it’s a wrap! Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors who made this unforgettable experience possible: @nprofile…kn6u, Mercury, Secunet, Clan.lol, Shopify, @nprofile…8xvv Nixcademy, @nprofile…fsgv, @nprofile…s7g2 FlyingCircus.io, Supercede, @nprofile…53gr and Pareto Security.
Your support enabled the venue, meals, surf lessons, winery visits, and more. Thank you for backing the NixOS community! 💙
#NixOS #OpenSource #OceanSprint #Sponsors

2025-03-20 20:11:19 UTC

🌋💻 OceanSprint 2025 – Day 4 🚀
We made great progress today! Fixes to the apache-airflow package, improvements to Snix and integration test support in nixpkgs, and a blog post on preventing the XZ backdoor.
Big strides in supply chain security too: packaged SPIFFE for secure identity, and improved SBOM support via Laut, integrating it with Lila to track build provenance.
Plus, we hiked up a volcano for epic views and enjoyed traditional paella! 🍽️
#NixOS #OpenSource #OceanSprint
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2025-03-20 11:36:26 UTC

🌊💻 OceanSprint 2025 – Day 3 💻🌊
The most amazing part of this sprint isn't just the hacking or excursions (surfing at Famara Beach and winery visits were awesome!). It’s the sense of community. Despite recent drama around forks (Nix, Lix, Tvix/Snix), I've seen firsthand how people come together here—sharing ideas, having respectful discussions, and moving the ecosystem forward. The space is big enough for everyone, and that’s what makes it special.
#NixOS #Community #OpenSource #OceanSprint
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/114/194/545/698/538/711/original/2cbf7cb6de9958cb.png
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2025-03-18 17:02:09 UTC

🌊💻 OceanSprint 2025 – Day 2! 🚀
We're hacking on exciting projects like NixOS config diffing, Tvix/Snix, interpreterless initrd, and better Go support in nixpkgs. But it's not all code—we're also enjoying BBQ, mountain biking, hiking, and surfing in beautiful Lanzarote!
Great code, great people, and great vibes. Can't wait to see what we build next!
#NixOS #OpenSource #Hackathon #OceanSprint
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/114/184/506/281/434/195/original/2003a9011e61e1a6.png

2025-03-17 14:10:49 UTC

🌊💻 Greetings from #OceanSprint 2025 in Lanzarote! 🚀
Surrounded by brilliant minds, we're hacking on #NixOS, improving the ecosystem, and sharing knowledge—all with an ocean view. 🌊🏝️
Open-source is about community, innovation, and impact, and this sprint embodies it perfectly. Stay tuned for exciting updates!
#Nix #OpenSource #Hackathon #TechCommunity #Linux #NixOS
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2025-03-03 09:27:07 UTC

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@nprofile…ss2n @nprofile…df85 not sure I understand the question. I‘m using nixos-anywhere with the extra-files flag to send the SSH key to the host during install. That key is one of the allowed keys in the sops configuration to decrypt that hosts secrets. Does this make sense?

2025-03-02 21:35:21 UTC

Converting my dad’s old windows box into a backup server that I can put into my mom‘s basement as an off site backup. Its like 15 years old but only has to run sshd for Restic backup via sftp. Connection via Tailscale. Install is fully automated with NixOS. Secrets managed with sops.
Thinking about writing a blog post about all of this. Let me know if there‘s anything in particular you want me to cover.
#NixOS #Homelab #restic #tailscale #selfhosting
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/114/094/942/795/296/194/original/9aa1284b914a49c1.png

2025-01-17 13:10:14 UTC

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@nprofile…x3yv a poor man‘s approach could be to patch the build script. But that only works if the patched dependency is published.

2025-01-17 09:03:46 UTC

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@nprofile…x3yv we do have the mitm-cache infrastructure for building Gradle projects now. That's a big step forward from my PoV https://britter.dev/blog/2025/01/02/gradle-nix/
Regarding patching Java dependencies: I don't think that should happen on Nix level. It's something you can already do with Gradle itself.
Or are you thinking about the use case where you package another projects e.g. for nixpkgs and need to patch something without being able to modify the project's code? That would be tough... 🤔

2025-01-16 19:54:19 UTC

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@nprofile…x3yv yeah, sure! Would be happy to discuss this topic. Do you have anything specific in mind?
I have to admit, I notice that working Java on NixOS feels a little rocky but I still can‘t pin point exactly what it is.

2025-01-16 15:39:56 UTC

❄️🐘 New Blog Post: Fixing Missing libudev Warnings from Gradle on NixOS 🐘❄️
Running Gradle on NixOS? You may have seen that annoying warning about missing libudev. This is due to how the oshi library and JNA interact with NixOS's unique package management system.
In my latest blog post, I show you how to configure the jna.library.path system property via gradle.properties so that the fix works for any Gradle version on your project.
👉 https://britter.dev/blog/2025/01/16/nixos-gradle-libudev/
#NixOS #Gradle #JNA #Java

2025-01-09 20:51:24 UTC

🎉 New Blog Post Alert! 🚀
Are you curious about NixOS and its powerful module system? 🛠️ Learn how to define custom options, create configurations, and even build a Python server as a systemd service! 🐍✨
📖 In this post, we cover:
✅ The structure of NixOS modules
✅ Declaring simple and advanced options
✅ Using submodules to make your configurations robust
🔗 Read the full post: https://britter.dev/blog/2025/01/09/nixos-modules/
#NixOS #Linux #DevOps #InfrastructureAsCode #FOSS

2025-01-03 07:58:30 UTC

🚀 New Blog Post: "Wrapping Elephants in Snowflakes" 🐘❄️
If you're working with Gradle and Nix, this post is for you! Learn how to bridge the gap between Gradle's dynamic dependency management and Nix's sandboxed builds—without the hassle. 🛠️🔧
👉 Read the full post and discover the 2025 solution! https://britter.dev/blogs/2025-01-02-gradle-nix/
#DevOps #NixOS #Gradle #BuildAutomation #CI #FOSS #Reproducibility

2024-11-05 10:46:17 UTC

Ich war beim Softwerker Cast der codecentric AG zu Gast und habe dort über das Thema #NixOS gesprochen. Hat Spaß gemacht, auch wenn 30 Minuten viel zu wenig für so ein Thema sind 😏 https://www.codecentric.de/podcast/softwerkercast-episode-55-nixos-mit-benedikt-ritter

2024-09-05 16:55:31 UTC

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@npub1rnq…7anc the Collabora CODE server that‘s embedded in the NextCloud app is free of charge https://www.collaboraonline.com/code/

2024-09-05 13:45:39 UTC

Please vote up https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/339798 if you want an easy way to make your NextCloud instance an online office suite when running on NixOS!
#NextCloud #CollaboraCODE #NixOS #selfhost #selfhosting #homelab

2024-07-15 08:36:19 UTC

Okay, so I‘m now running minIO on NixOS and need to configure some users and policies. Now I know that I should not manage state with NixOS but it would really convenient if I could 😅 thinking about writing a postStart script that uses the admin client to make sure users are in place… #NixOS #minIO #SelfHosting #HomeLab

2024-06-23 08:25:24 UTC

8000 Fußballfelder sind so groß wie 8000 Fußballfelder. #Zeitung #Stadtspiegel #ZahlDerWoche
https://assets.chaos.social/media_attachments/files/112/664/965/516/024/130/original/9587791bf5d39386.jpeg

2024-06-22 12:31:34 UTC

Hey @npub1s22…nf4d I really enjoyed your #NixOS video. I think it‘s great to see some content creators do things with NixOS. Keep it coming! https://youtu.be/GymWdyizBRA?si=ZTuh6kuUAu0Jgpqx

2024-04-21 08:49:05 UTC

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@npub1whx…dzvh Vimjoyer creates great content.
Love their videos.

2023-08-29 10:04:33 UTC

Hey @npub188q…3jlx you said multiple times that you‘re considering switching to #nixos. Are you aware that there are essential things that you can‘t describe in configuration.nix, for example which flatpak apps to install? Is this a show stopper for you?

2023-08-29 07:01:19 UTC

Wait a minute… can I fully configure my desired #nixos system in a VM, then export the configuration.nix to a real install, and will get the exact same system? 🤯 how amazing is that?