Darnix – Darwin Built with Nix

Darnix is an open-source project that provides a Nix-based build system for the XNU kernel, enabling developers to actually compile and boot a fully functional Darwin kernel from source. It targets system programmers and open-source enthusiasts frustrated by the proprietary tooling and missing build infrastructure that have historically made XNU impractical to build independently. The project is interesting because it bridges the gap between XNU’s theoretical openness and practical usability, potentially unlocking deeper customization and experimentation with the core of macOS and iOS.