My setup for last 3 years is Ubuntu with i3wm (gaps) and NIX as a package manager. I keep Ubuntu as it is, just upgrade OS packages from time to time. All custom setup goes to nix package manager. This way I have more flexibility there and up to date tools that I use. I have all dependencies in a repo, so can quickly spin-up the same desktop environment in another computer if needed, as an example I do it between my personal and work laptop. This is preatty handy and I don't feel any difference switching between computers.

Any chance your repo is public? Care to share a URL? I'm just getting curious about Nix, and would love to see this specific use case in the wild.