Cheatsheet - Revision history

Pigeon: /* Using override with nix-build */ Highlight shell commands containing nix expression as "console" instead of "nix": we do that in a few other places, so now everything's consistent + otherwise there are too many colors on one line. If you think this should be reverted, you will also need to turn on "nix" highlight in a few other places for consistency

2026-01-05T14:45:25Z

Using override with nix-build: Highlight shell commands containing nix expression as "console" instead of "nix": we do that in a few other places, so now everything's consistent + otherwise there are too many colors on one line. If you think this should be reverted, you will also need to turn on "nix" highlight in a few other places for consistency

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:45, 5 January 2026
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	using channels		using channels
	<syntaxhighlight lang="~~nix~~">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix-build -E 'with (import <nixpkgs>{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'		$ nix-build -E 'with (import <nixpkgs>{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>
	using a local repo		using a local repo
	<syntaxhighlight lang="~~nix~~">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix-build -E 'with (import ./default.nix{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'		$ nix-build -E 'with (import ./default.nix{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

Pigeon: use "console" highlight instead of "shell", add $ prompt indicator where it's missing

2026-01-05T14:31:47Z

use "console" highlight instead of "shell", add $ prompt indicator where it's missing

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:31, 5 January 2026
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	==== Get store path for a package from the Flake input ====		==== Get store path for a package from the Flake input ====
	When packages are managed using [[Flakes]], store paths to them can be retrieved using <code>nix eval --inputs-from</code>, like this:<syntaxhighlight lang="~~shell~~">		When packages are managed using [[Flakes]], store paths to them can be retrieved using <code>nix eval --inputs-from</code>, like this:<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix eval --inputs-from "$flake_path" --raw "$input#$package"		$ nix eval --inputs-from "$flake_path" --raw "$input#$package"
	</syntaxhighlight>For instance, when packages are managed using [[Home Manager]] using standard configuration, store path to the [[Git]] package can be retrieved using this command:<syntaxhighlight lang="~~shell~~">		</syntaxhighlight>For instance, when packages are managed using [[Home Manager]] using standard configuration, store path to the [[Git]] package can be retrieved using this command:<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix eval --inputs-from ~/.config/home-manager --raw nixpkgs#git		$ nix eval --inputs-from ~/.config/home-manager --raw nixpkgs#git
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>
Line 353:		Line 353:
	using channels		using channels
	<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	nix-build -E 'with (import <nixpkgs>{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'		$ nix-build -E 'with (import <nixpkgs>{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>
	using a local repo		using a local repo
	<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">		<syntaxhighlight lang="nix">
	nix-build -E 'with (import ./default.nix{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'		$ nix-build -E 'with (import ./default.nix{}); polybar.override { i3Support = true; }'
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

Pigeon: /* Get the store path for a package */ run nix-build with --no-out-link to not produce a link

2026-01-05T14:25:28Z

Get the store path for a package: run nix-build with --no-out-link to not produce a link

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:25, 5 January 2026
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	$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' --no-~~build~~-~~output~~ -A xorg.libXtst		$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' --no-out-link -A xorg.libXtst
	/nix/store/nlpnx21yjdjx2ii7ln4kcmbm0x1vy7w9-libXtst-1.2.3		/nix/store/nlpnx21yjdjx2ii7ln4kcmbm0x1vy7w9-libXtst-1.2.3
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

Pigeon: Prefixed comments that start from beginning of line with $, to make them highlighted as comments, not as root user command

2025-12-24T00:56:12Z

Prefixed comments that start from beginning of line with $, to make them highlighted as comments, not as root user command

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:56, 24 December 2025
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	=== Get the store path for a package ===		=== Get the store path for a package ===

	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix repl		$ nix repl
	nix-repl> :l <nixpkgs>		nix-repl> :l <nixpkgs>
Line 16:		Line 16:
	nix-repl> :lf ./configuration.nix # as flakes way for a local file		nix-repl> :lf ./configuration.nix # as flakes way for a local file

	# load nixos configuration from a nix file		$ # load nixos configuration from a nix file
	$ nix repl --file '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -I nixos-config=./configuration.nix		$ nix repl --file '<nixpkgs/nixos>' -I nixos-config=./configuration.nix

Line 22:		Line 22:
	$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' --no-build-output -A xorg.libXtst		$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' --no-build-output -A xorg.libXtst
	/nix/store/nlpnx21yjdjx2ii7ln4kcmbm0x1vy7w9-libXtst-1.2.3		/nix/store/nlpnx21yjdjx2ii7ln4kcmbm0x1vy7w9-libXtst-1.2.3
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	==== Get store path for a package from the Flake input ====		==== Get store path for a package from the Flake input ====
Line 104:		Line 104:
	[ "/run/current-system/sw/bin/zsh" ... ]		[ "/run/current-system/sw/bin/zsh" ... ]

	# Equivalently, if starting from an existing REPL:		$ # Equivalently, if starting from an existing REPL:
	nix-repl> :l <nixpkgs/nixos>		nix-repl> :l <nixpkgs/nixos>
	Added 6 variables.		Added 6 variables.
Line 220:		Line 220:
	To initiate the build environment run <code>nix-shell</code> in the project root directory		To initiate the build environment run <code>nix-shell</code> in the project root directory

	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	# this will download add development dependencies and set up the environment so build tools will find them.		$ # this will download add development dependencies and set up the environment so build tools will find them.
	$ nix-shell		$ nix-shell
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	The following is specific to bcc or cmake in general:		The following is specific to bcc or cmake in general:
	(so you need to adapt the workflow depending on the project, you hack on)		(so you need to adapt the workflow depending on the project, you hack on)

	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">$ mkdir build
	$ mkdir build
	$ cd build		$ cd build
	# cmakeFlags is also defined in the bcc package. autotools based projects might defined $configureFlags		$ # cmakeFlags is also defined in the bcc package. autotools based projects might defined $configureFlags
	$ eval cmake $cmakeFlags ..		$ eval cmake $cmakeFlags ..
	$ make		$ make</syntaxhighlight>
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>

	=== Evaluate packages for a different platform ===		=== Evaluate packages for a different platform ===

DoggoBit: propose merge

2025-06-14T23:35:55Z

propose merge

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:35, 14 June 2025
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			{{Merge\|Nix (command line utilities)}}

	This cheatsheet is a collection of handy snippets for working with a NixOS system.		This cheatsheet is a collection of handy snippets for working with a NixOS system.

SigmaSquadron: /* Add files to the store */ Added warning for users remounting the store as RW. This is a bit of a hand-holding warning, so feel free to revert if you think it unnecessary. That said, there has been a number of support requests on Matrix from users who inadvertently deleted important files in the store.

2025-03-08T23:04:51Z

Add files to the store: Added warning for users remounting the store as RW. This is a bit of a hand-holding warning, so feel free to revert if you think it unnecessary. That said, there has been a number of support requests on Matrix from users who inadvertently deleted important files in the store.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:04, 8 March 2025
Line 30:		Line 30:

	=== Add files to the store ===		=== Add files to the store ===
			{{Warning\|Editing the Nix Store manually may cause undefined behaviour to occur in Nix's database. Avoid making manual changes to the store unless you are absolutely sure you know what you're doing.}}
	It is sometimes necessary to add files to the store manually.		It is sometimes necessary to add files to the store manually.
	This is particularly the case with packages that cannot be downloaded automatically,		This is particularly the case with packages that cannot be downloaded automatically,

SigmaSquadron: Remove the Ubuntu comparison as the main page now has a separate link to it.

2024-10-30T14:50:44Z

Remove the Ubuntu comparison as the main page now has a separate link to it.

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:50, 30 October 2024
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	~~== A NixOS cheat sheet and comparison to Ubuntu ==~~		This cheatsheet is a collection of handy snippets for working with a NixOS system.
	~~[[Ubuntu_vs._NixOS\|Ubuntu vs. NixOS]] provides~~ a ~~table mapping~~ of ~~common administrative tasks and their commands in Ubuntu to similar capabilities in~~ NixOS.

	== Working with the nix store ==		== Working with the nix store ==

Frontear: change an unnecessarily complicated example and link to main cross compiling page, which I am going to overhaul.

2024-10-10T19:52:40Z

change an unnecessarily complicated example and link to main cross compiling page, which I am going to overhaul.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:52, 10 October 2024
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	=== Cross-compile packages ===		=== Cross-compile packages ===

	The following command will cross compile the tinc package for the aarch64 CPU architecture from ~~a different~~ architecture (e.g. x86_64).		The following command will cross compile the <code>tinc</code> package for the aarch64 CPU architecture from the current system architecture (e.g. x86_64 if you are running a x86_64 system).

	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' -~~-arg crossSystem '(import <nixpkgs> {}).lib.systems.examples~~.aarch64-multiplatform~~' -A~~ tinc		$ nix-build '<nixpkgs>' -A pkgsCross.aarch64-multiplatform.tinc
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>		</syntaxhighlight>

	~~You can add your own specifications~~, ~~or look at existing ones, in nixpkgs/lib/systems/examples.nix~~.		There are alternative ways to specify and build cross compiled packages, see [[Cross Compiling]].

	=== Customizing Packages ===		=== Customizing Packages ===

Rhendric: /* Explore a NixOS configuration in the REPL */

2024-06-15T18:45:46Z

Explore a NixOS configuration in the REPL

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:45, 15 June 2024
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	=== Explore a NixOS configuration in the REPL ===		=== Explore a NixOS configuration in the REPL ===
	If you want to see what ''value'' a NixOS option takes without building, as opposed to merely checking that all options work, you can run:		If you want to see what ''value'' a NixOS option takes without building, as opposed to merely checking that all options work, you can run:
	<~~syntaxHighlight~~ lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	$ nix repl		$ nix repl --file '<nixpkgs/nixos>'
	~~nix~~-~~repl> :a import~~ <nixpkgs/nixos> ~~{ }~~		Welcome to Nix 2.18.2. Type :? for help.

			Loading installable ''...
	Added 6 variables.		Added 6 variables.
			nix-repl> config.environment.shells # for example
			[ "/run/current-system/sw/bin/zsh" ... ]

	nix-repl> config.environment.shells ~~# for example~~		# Equivalently, if starting from an existing REPL:
	</~~syntaxHighlight~~>		nix-repl> :l <nixpkgs/nixos>
			Added 6 variables.

			nix-repl> config.environment.shells
			</syntaxhighlight>

	This can be helpful if your configuration is spread across multiple modules, or if you import modules from external sources, or if NixOS has defaults and you want to know whether a default is being used or extended in your configuration, or a variety of other cases in which you might want the computer to tell you what the end result of all your Nixing is going to be before you switch to it.		This can be helpful if your configuration is spread across multiple modules, or if you import modules from external sources, or if NixOS has defaults and you want to know whether a default is being used or extended in your configuration, or a variety of other cases in which you might want the computer to tell you what the end result of all your Nixing is going to be before you switch to it.

Rhendric at 18:40, 15 June 2024

2024-06-15T18:40:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:40, 15 June 2024
Line 90:		Line 90:

	This creates the <code>.drv</code> file that <code>nixos-rebuild build</code> would build.		This creates the <code>.drv</code> file that <code>nixos-rebuild build</code> would build.

			=== Explore a NixOS configuration in the REPL ===
			If you want to see what ''value'' a NixOS option takes without building, as opposed to merely checking that all options work, you can run:
			<syntaxHighlight lang="console">
			$ nix repl
			nix-repl> :a import <nixpkgs/nixos> { }
			Added 6 variables.

			nix-repl> config.environment.shells # for example
			</syntaxHighlight>

			This can be helpful if your configuration is spread across multiple modules, or if you import modules from external sources, or if NixOS has defaults and you want to know whether a default is being used or extended in your configuration, or a variety of other cases in which you might want the computer to tell you what the end result of all your Nixing is going to be before you switch to it.

			You can do this with configuration files other than the one installed in <code>/etc/nixos</code>, too:

			<pre>
			nix-repl> :a import <nixpkgs/nixos> { configuration = /path/to/config.nix; }
			</pre>

	=== Manually switching a NixOS system to a certain version of system closure ===		=== Manually switching a NixOS system to a certain version of system closure ===