diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 12af51b435f..9c4425794af 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -433,22 +433,24 @@ let
 
   symlinkJoin = name: paths: runCommand name {inherit paths;} "mkdir -p $out; for i in $paths; do ${xorg.lndir}/bin/lndir $i $out; done";
 
-  # single text file derivation
-  writeTextFile = { name, # the name of the derivation
-                    text,
-                    executable ? false, # run chmod +x ?
-                    destination ? ""    # relative path appended to $out eg "/bin/foo"
-                  } :
+  # Create a single file.
+  writeTextFile =
+    { name # the name of the derivation
+    , text
+    , executable ? false # run chmod +x ?
+    , destination ? ""   # relative path appended to $out eg "/bin/foo"
+    }:
     runCommand name {inherit text executable; } ''
       n=$out${destination}
       mkdir -p "$(dirname "$n")"
       echo -n "$text" > "$n"
       [ -n "$executable"] && chmod +x "$n"
-      '';
-  # the following write* functions are depreceated. You should use writeTextFile instead
-  writeText = name: text: runCommand name {inherit text;} "echo -n \"$text\" > $out";
-  writeScript = name: text: runCommand name {inherit text;} "echo -n \"$text\" > $out; chmod +x $out";
-  writeScriptBin = name: text: runCommand name {inherit text;} "mkdir -p \$out/bin; echo -n \"\$text\" > \$out/bin/\$name ; chmod +x \$out/bin/\$name";
+    '';
+    
+  # Shorthands for `writeTextFile'.
+  writeText = name: text: writeTextFile {inherit name text;};
+  writeScript = name: text: writeTextFile {inherit name text; executable = true;};
+  writeScriptBin = name: text: writeTextFile {inherit name text; executable = true; destination = "/bin/${name}";};
 
   # entries is a list of attribute sets like { name = "name" ; path = "/nix/store/..."; }
   linkFarm = name: entries: runCommand name {} ("mkdir -p $out; cd $out; \n" +