The xPack GNU realpath Frequently Asked Questions

Nix also provides reproducible builds, why not use it?

The short answer is… “because of Windows”.

Nix is a remarkable project that carefully controls versions down to individual libraries. However, it relies on file links, which are either unavailable or unreliable on Windows.

As a result, Nix is currently only available on GNU/Linux and, with some limitations, on macOS. Additionally, mastering the Nix language requires significant effort.

Flatpack & Snap also promise universal packages, why not use them?

The short answer is… “because they run only on GNU/Linux”.

Both Flatpack and Snap hold promise as the future of application distribution. While they may eventually achieve this, they are currently specific to GNU/Linux, with very little chance of expanding to other platforms.