Command Shell - Revision history

ResponsiblyUnranked: I added a small section helping users to fix a strange problem with the fish shell when using it alongside flakes. I think it was worth adding because I followed this page, but was suprised to find strange output when I ran a command that didn't exist.

2025-07-16T06:20:36Z

I added a small section helping users to fix a strange problem with the fish shell when using it alongside flakes. I think it was worth adding because I followed this page, but was suprised to find strange output when I ran a command that didn't exist.

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:20, 16 July 2025
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	* Nested shells will require you to type <code>exit</code> twice, once to leave the inner shell and once to exit the Nix shell environment itself.		* Nested shells will require you to type <code>exit</code> twice, once to leave the inner shell and once to exit the Nix shell environment itself.
	* Potential for alias conflicts as overriding commands can introduce unintended side effects in scripts or other tooling that expects the standard behavior.		* Potential for alias conflicts as overriding commands can introduce unintended side effects in scripts or other tooling that expects the standard behavior.

			== Using Flakes ==
			If you are using [[Flakes]] with fish, the 'command-not-found' error message will not work correctly, but can be fixed by disabling the builtin Nix <code>command-not-found</code> program:<ref>https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/425613#issuecomment-3076081921</ref>
			{{File\|3=programs.command-not-found.enable = false;\|name=/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|lang=nix}}

	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	* [[Nushell]]		* [[Nushell]]
	* [[Zsh]]		* [[Zsh]]
			* [[Flakes]]

	[[Category:Configuration]]		[[Category:Configuration]]
	[[Category:Software]]		[[Category:Software]]
	[[Category:Shell]]		[[Category:Shell]]

Pigs: hyperlink shell, fish, and nushell

2025-05-14T00:52:38Z

hyperlink shell, fish, and nushell

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:52, 14 May 2025
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	A shell is a program that translates text commands (like {{ic\|ls}}, {{ic\|vim}}, {{ic\|reboot}} etc) into instructions for your computer. The default shell on NixOS is [[bash]], but it can be easily changed.		A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_shell shell] is a program that translates text commands (like {{ic\|ls}}, {{ic\|vim}}, {{ic\|reboot}} etc) into instructions for your computer. The default shell on NixOS is [[bash]], but it can be easily changed.

	{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. ~~{{ic\|fish}}~~ or ~~{{ic\|nushell}}~~.}}		{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. [[Fish]] or [[Nushell]].}}

	== Enable ==		== Enable ==

Pigs: Adds section on using different shell in nix development environments

2025-05-06T16:37:31Z

Adds section on using different shell in nix development environments

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{note|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic|fish}} or {{ic|nushell}}.}}
 == Enable ==
 When adding a new shell, always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your [[Home Manager]] configuration, otherwise it won't source the necessary files.
@@ Line 16: / Line 18: @@
 To set a command shell as the default for all users, use the [https://search.nixos.org/options?query=defaultUserShell <code>defaultUserShell</code>] option.
-For example, to set Zsh as the default user shell for all users:
+For example, to set Zsh as the default user shell for all users(including root):
 {{file|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix|nix|<nowiki>
@@ Line 37: / Line 39: @@
 users.users.myuser.useDefaultShell = true;
 </nowiki>}}
 == See also ==

Claes: Add category shell

2024-04-06T08:21:01Z

Add category shell

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:21, 6 April 2024
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	[[Category:Configuration]]		[[Category:Configuration]]
	[[Category:Software]]		[[Category:Software]]
			[[Category:Shell]]

imported>Hypnosis2839: If users are using the wiki, they do not "know what they're doing", especially with an undocumented option...

2023-11-29T16:10:23Z

If users are using the wiki, they do not "know what they're doing", especially with an undocumented option...

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 users.users.myuser.useDefaultShell = true;
 </nowiki>}}
 == See also ==

imported>Liassica: /* For a specific user */ Fix .shell link

2023-11-11T02:10:56Z

For a specific user: Fix <name>.shell link

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:10, 11 November 2023
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	=== For a specific user ===		=== For a specific user ===

	To set a command shell as the default for a particular user, use the [https://search.nixos.org/options?query=~~<name>~~.shell <code><name>.shell</code>] option.		To set a command shell as the default for a particular user, use the [https://search.nixos.org/options?query=%3Cname%3E.shell <code><nowiki><name></nowiki>.shell</code>] option.

	For example, to set user "myuser"'s shell to [[fish]]:		For example, to set user "myuser"'s shell to [[fish]]:

imported>Liassica: /* Changing the default shell */ Expand on how to change the default shell

2023-11-11T01:22:21Z

Changing the default shell: Expand on how to change the default shell

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:22, 11 November 2023
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	== Changing the default shell ==		== Changing the default shell ==

	~~[https://search.nixos.org/options?query~~=~~defaultUserShell <code>defaultUserShell</code> in the options search]~~		=== For all users ===

	[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=~~useDefaultShell~~ <code>~~useDefaultShell~~</code> ~~in the options search~~]		To set a command shell as the default for all users, use the [https://search.nixos.org/options?query=defaultUserShell <code>defaultUserShell</code>] option.

	~~To only change~~ the default shell for ~~one of the~~ users~~, see~~		For example, to set Zsh as the default user shell for all users:

	[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=<name>.shell <code><name>.shell</code> in the ~~options search]~~		{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
			users.defaultUserShell = pkgs.zsh;
			</nowiki>}}

			=== For a specific user ===

			To set a command shell as the default for a particular user, use the [https://search.nixos.org/options?query=<name>.shell <code><name>.shell</code>] option.

			For example, to set user "myuser"'s shell to [[fish]]:

			{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
			users.users.myuser.shell = pkgs.fish;
			</nowiki>}}

			You can also choose whether or not a user should use the default shell:

			{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
			users.users.myuser.useDefaultShell = true;
			</nowiki>}}

	== Changing /bin/sh ==		== Changing /bin/sh ==

imported>Liassica: /* Enable */ Specify when to enable the shell and example line

2023-11-11T01:12:37Z

Enable: Specify when to enable the shell and example line

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:12, 11 November 2023
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	{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic\|fish}} or {{ic\|nushell}}.}}		{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic\|fish}} or {{ic\|nushell}}.}}
	== Enable ==		== Enable ==
	~~Always~~ enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your [[Home Manager]] configuration, otherwise it won't source the necessary files.		When adding a new shell, always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your [[Home Manager]] configuration, otherwise it won't source the necessary files.

			For example, for [[Zsh]]:
	{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>		{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
	programs.zsh.enable = true;		programs.zsh.enable = true;

imported>Liassica: /* Enable */ Changed vague "home.nix" wording

2023-11-11T01:10:48Z

Enable: Changed vague "home.nix" wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:10, 11 November 2023
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	{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic\|fish}} or {{ic\|nushell}}.}}		{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic\|fish}} or {{ic\|nushell}}.}}
	== Enable ==		== Enable ==
	Always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your ~~<code>home.nix</code>. Otherwise~~ it won't source the necessary files.		Always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your [[Home Manager]] configuration, otherwise it won't source the necessary files.
	{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>		{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
	programs.zsh.enable = true;		programs.zsh.enable = true;

imported>Skylark: Minor copyedit throughout

2023-10-16T17:15:18Z

Minor copyedit throughout

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:15, 16 October 2023
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	A shell is a program that translates text commands (like {{ic\|ls}}, {{ic\|vim}}, {{ic\|reboot}} etc) into instructions for your computer. The default shell on NixOS is [[bash]], but it can be easily changed.		A shell is a program that translates text commands (like {{ic\|ls}}, {{ic\|vim}}, {{ic\|reboot}} etc) into instructions for your computer. The default shell on NixOS is [[bash]], but it can be easily changed.

	{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, eg {{ic\|fish}} {{ic\|nushell}}.}}		{{note\|[[Zsh]] is used here as an example. You can use other shells, e.g. {{ic\|fish}} or {{ic\|nushell}}.}}
	== Enable ==		== Enable ==
	Always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your <code>home.nix</code>. Otherwise it ~~wont~~ source the necessary files.		Always enable the shell system-wide, even if it's already enabled in your <code>home.nix</code>. Otherwise it won't source the necessary files.
	{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>		{{file\|/etc/nixos/configuration.nix\|nix\|<nowiki>
	programs.zsh.enable = true;		programs.zsh.enable = true;
	</nowiki>}}		</nowiki>}}

	== Changing default shell ==		== Changing the default shell ==

	[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=defaultUserShell <code>defaultUserShell</code> in the options search]		[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=defaultUserShell <code>defaultUserShell</code> in the options search]
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	[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=useDefaultShell <code>useDefaultShell</code> in the options search]		[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=useDefaultShell <code>useDefaultShell</code> in the options search]

	To only change the default shell for one of the users, ~~See~~		To only change the default shell for one of the users, see

	[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=<name>.shell <code><name>.shell</code> in the options search]		[https://search.nixos.org/options?query=<name>.shell <code><name>.shell</code> in the options search]

	== Changing /bin/sh ==		== Changing /bin/sh ==
	{{Warning\|Please note that NixOS assumes all over the place that shell is ~~Bash~~, so override the default setting only if you know ~~exactly~~ what you're doing.}}		{{Warning\|Please note that NixOS assumes all over the place that the shell is bash, so override the default setting only if you know what you're doing.}}
	{{ic\|/bin/sh}} is a symlink to your default POSIX-~~Compliant~~ shell. It's used when writing shell scripts, so that the script works on all machines independently of ~~what~~ shell the user is using. /bin/sh doesn't have to be the same as your interactive shell (e.g. the one you use in your terminal). ~~In fact~~, ~~a lot of~~ people set their interactive shells to [[zsh]]/[[fish]], but set /bin/sh to dash, because it's fast and scripts don't need any of those fancy zsh/fish features.		{{ic\|/bin/sh}} is a symlink to your default POSIX-compliant shell. It's used when writing shell scripts, so that the script works on all machines independently of which shell the user is using. /bin/sh doesn't have to be the same as your interactive shell (i.e. the one you use in your terminal). For example, some people set their interactive shells to [[zsh]]/[[fish]] but set /bin/sh to dash, because it's fast and scripts don't need any of those fancy zsh/fish features.

	To change your default POSIX shell on NixOS, use		To change your default POSIX shell on NixOS, use
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	== See also ==		== See also ==
	* [[Zsh]]
	* [[Fish]]		* [[Fish]]
	* [[Nushell]]		* [[Nushell]]
			* [[Zsh]]

	[[Category:Configuration]]		[[Category:Configuration]]
	[[Category:Software]]		[[Category:Software]]