docs: remove incorrect claim re gc --print-dead#14394
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edolstra merged 1 commit intoNixOS:masterfrom Oct 28, 2025
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Per NixOS#7591, the `nix-store --gc --print-dead` command does not provide any feedback about the amount of disk space that is used by dead store paths. It looks like this has been the case since 7ab6896 (* Garbage collector: added an option `--use-atime' to delete paths in..., 2008-09-17). Update the nix-store documentation to remove the claim that this is function that `nix-store --gc --print-dead` performs.
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edolstra
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Oct 28, 2025
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Motivation
Update the
nix-store --gcdocumentation to match its actual behaviour.Ideally the behaviour of
nix-store --gcwould be updated to re-add function that was removed, and that has been requested in #7591, but that is a much more significant change. In the meantime, it's useful to at least have the documentation match the expected behaviour.Context
In 4250b64,
nix-store --gc --print-deadgained the ability to report how much space would be freed by running garbage collection. Based on code reading andgit bisect, I think that function broke in 7ab6896, but the documentation wasn't updated at that time.Add 👍 to pull requests you find important.
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