Because it's a domain-specific-language, optimized for packaging software. The relevant passage: > Its only purpose is to describe components and compositions

Because it's a domain-specific-language, optimized for packaging software. The relevant passage: > Its only purpose is to describe components and compositions. A component is created through the derivation primitive operation, which accepts all information necessary to build the component. This includes its dependencies, which are other derivations or sources. Full phd thesis: https://edolstra.github.io/pubs/phd-thesis.pdf https://edolstra.github.io/pubs/phd-thesis.pdf