Makes
A CI/CD framework powered by Nix for building secure and reproducible software supply chains.
What is Makes?
Makes is a CI/CD framework powered by Nix that enables developers to build secure and reproducible software supply chains. It provides frozen execution environments and cryptographically signed dependencies to mitigate supply chain attacks and ensure consistent builds. The framework supports running applications locally, executing CI/CD pipelines locally, and maintaining strict dependency control.
DevOps engineers and development teams who need reproducible CI/CD pipelines with strong security guarantees against supply chain vulnerabilities.
Developers choose Makes for its integration with Nix, which ensures cryptographic dependency signing and frozen environments, offering superior security and reproducibility compared to traditional CI/CD tools. Its extensibility and portability across platforms like Docker, Kubernetes, and AWS Batch make it versatile for diverse deployment scenarios.
Overview
A software supply chain framework powered by Nix.
Use Cases
Best For
- Running applications locally to test code changes
- Executing CI/CD pipelines locally to validate jobs
- Maintaining frozen execution environments for strict dependency control
- Auditing exact dependency trees of applications
- Building secure CI/CD pipelines with cryptographically signed dependencies
- Deploying reproducible builds across Docker, VMs, and Linux-based systems
Not Ideal For
- Teams requiring a maintained, actively supported CI/CD framework for long-term projects
- Organizations needing frequent updates, community support, or integrations with modern DevOps tools
- Projects where dependency on deprecated software poses security or compliance risks
- Teams without existing Nix expertise or time to invest in a now-obsolete technology
Pros & Cons
Pros
Leverages Nix for cryptographically signed dependencies, directly addressing supply chain attacks as highlighted in the project description and README attributes.
Ensures consistent builds across platforms by freezing execution environments, a core philosophy mentioned in the README for strict dependency control.
Allows executing CI/CD pipelines locally to test code and jobs, as emphasized in the 'Why' section for developer convenience.
Runs on Docker, VMs, and Linux-based OS per the badges table, and can be extended to any technology, offering flexibility.
Cons
Explicitly marked as no longer maintained in the deprecation notice, meaning no bug fixes, security updates, or future development.
Requires deep understanding and setup of Nix, which can be a barrier for teams unfamiliar with its ecosystem, as implied by the reliance on Nix for all features.
With the transition to Nix Flakes, the Makes community is dwindling, leading to limited documentation updates, integrations, and help resources.
Originally built for Fluid Attacks' internal use, it may lack general-purpose optimizations and is now superseded by their shift to Nix Flakes, reducing its relevance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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