Searching packages - Revision history

Ole.mn: Add `nps` as an option for searching packages

2025-12-07T16:28:06Z

Add `nps` as an option for searching packages

@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 ; cons:
 * it's very slow and requires a lot of memory
 == Using the <code>nix repl</code> environment ==

Arch is the best: Fix typo

2025-09-26T18:19:05Z

Fix typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:19, 26 September 2025
Line 15:		Line 15:
	* allows filters		* allows filters
	* nice GUI in browser		* nice GUI in browser
	* browser extensions possible (like @~~nixpgs~~ as search engine in Firefox)		* browser extensions possible (like @nixpkgs as search engine in Firefox)
	; cons:		; cons:
	* always requires Internet connection		* always requires Internet connection

Adda0: /* Using the nix search command */

2025-05-01T12:32:15Z

Using the nix search command

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:32, 1 May 2025
Line 42:		Line 42:
	* requires disk space for caching		* requires disk space for caching
	* quite long command		* quite long command


			There are third party tools that allow searching for packages similarly to <code>nix search</code>, namely:
			* [https://github.com/diamondburned/nix-search diamondburned/nix-search]: A faster and channel-compatible <code>nix search</code> using only stable Nix tools (no [[flakes]] required) which creates a local database with a package index.

	== Using the <code>nix-env</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix-env</code> command ==

Phanirithvij: this isn't markdown

2025-03-16T03:09:21Z

this isn't markdown

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:09, 16 March 2025
Line 26:		Line 26:
	These are another possible places to search		These are another possible places to search

	- [https://github.com/search?q=language%3ANix+&type=code github.com] - search for regex/strings in nixpkgs, home-manager, nix-darwin and any other public github repos.		* [https://github.com/search?q=language%3ANix+&type=code github.com] - search for regex/strings in nixpkgs, home-manager, nix-darwin and any other public github repos.
	- [https://mynixos.com mynixos.com] - search for packages in nixpkgs, also nixos, home-manager, nix-darwin options. Not foss and unofficial.		* [https://mynixos.com mynixos.com] - search for packages in nixpkgs, also nixos, home-manager, nix-darwin options. Not foss and unofficial.
	- [https://home-manager-options.extranix.com home-manager-options.extranix.com] - search for home-manager options. [https://github.com/mipmip/home-manager-option-search foss]		* [https://home-manager-options.extranix.com home-manager-options.extranix.com] - search for home-manager options. [https://github.com/mipmip/home-manager-option-search foss]

	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==

Phanirithvij: add github, mynixos, home-manager-options.extranix.com as alternatives to search.nixos.org

2025-03-16T03:08:21Z

add github, mynixos, home-manager-options.extranix.com as alternatives to search.nixos.org

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:08, 16 March 2025
Line 21:		Line 21:

	If you'd like to search with this web service from the command line, you may use [https://github.com/peterldowns/nix-search-cli peterldowns/nix-search-cli]. It provides exactly the same search experience by default.		If you'd like to search with this web service from the command line, you may use [https://github.com/peterldowns/nix-search-cli peterldowns/nix-search-cli]. It provides exactly the same search experience by default.

			== Other online sites for searching ==

			These are another possible places to search

			- [https://github.com/search?q=language%3ANix+&type=code github.com] - search for regex/strings in nixpkgs, home-manager, nix-darwin and any other public github repos.
			- [https://mynixos.com mynixos.com] - search for packages in nixpkgs, also nixos, home-manager, nix-darwin options. Not foss and unofficial.
			- [https://home-manager-options.extranix.com home-manager-options.extranix.com] - search for home-manager options. [https://github.com/mipmip/home-manager-option-search foss]

	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==

Peterldowns: Reference to peterldowns/nix-search-cli in the search.nixos.org section, since it uses the same backing elasticsearch instance.

2024-11-24T22:49:43Z

Reference to peterldowns/nix-search-cli in the search.nixos.org section, since it uses the same backing elasticsearch instance.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:49, 24 November 2024
Line 18:		Line 18:
	; cons:		; cons:
	* always requires Internet connection		* always requires Internet connection


			If you'd like to search with this web service from the command line, you may use [https://github.com/peterldowns/nix-search-cli peterldowns/nix-search-cli]. It provides exactly the same search experience by default.

	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==

Peterldowns: I added a reference to peterldowns/nix-search-cli. I checked with the wiki maintainers before making this edit: https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-wiki-infra/issues/157

2024-11-24T22:48:00Z

I added a reference to peterldowns/nix-search-cli. I checked with the wiki maintainers before making this edit: https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-wiki-infra/issues/157

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:48, 24 November 2024
Line 65:		Line 65:
	== Reverse search: searching which package provides a file ==		== Reverse search: searching which package provides a file ==

	There is third party programs [https://github.com/nix-community/nix-index nix-index]~~, and~~ [https://~~wiki~~.~~nixos~~.~~org~~/~~wiki~~/~~Flakes rippkgs~~] to ~~find which package provides a given file~~. ~~This is particularly useful when you are looking for a very specific file but you don't know which package installs it~~.		There are third party programs that make it easier to determine which package you need to install in order to obtain a specific file or program.

			These are most commonly used, and require you to create an index on your computer before you can search for a package:

			* [https://github.com/nix-community/nix-index nix-community/nix-index]
			* [https://github.com/replit/rippkgs replit/rippkgs]

			These are online tools which search an index someone else keeps up to date:

			* [https://github.com/peterldowns/nix-search-cli peterldowns/nix-search-cli]: <code>nix-search -p theBinaryIWantToInstall</code> to search the search.nixos.org elasticsearch index.

	[[Category:Reference]]		[[Category:Reference]]
	[[Category:Nixpkgs]]		[[Category:Nixpkgs]]

Klinger: changed link from redirect page to article

2024-07-01T20:32:30Z

changed link from redirect page to article

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:32, 1 July 2024
Line 4:		Line 4:

	There is a web service to search with		There is a web service to search with
	: [[~~channels~~]]		: [[channel branches]]
	:* Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages]		:* Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages]
	:* NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options]		:* NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options]
Line 17:		Line 17:
	* browser extensions possible (like @nixpgs as search engine in Firefox)		* browser extensions possible (like @nixpgs as search engine in Firefox)
	; cons:		; cons:
	* always requires Internet connection		* always requires Internet connection

	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==

Gerg-L: fixed nix-index link, updated nix repl section mention rippkgs

2024-04-27T18:22:48Z

fixed nix-index link, updated nix repl section mention rippkgs

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:22, 27 April 2024
Line 3:		Line 3:
	== Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> website ==		== Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> website ==

	There is a web service to search ~~for~~		There is a web service to search with
	: ~~with~~ [[channels]]		: [[channels]]
	:* Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages]		:* Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages]
	:* NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options]		:* NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options]
	: ~~with~~ [[flakes]]		: [[flakes]]
	:* packages at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages]		:* packages at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages]
	:* options at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options]		:* options at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options]
Line 21:		Line 21:
	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==

	While this command ~~is still experimental~~, you can use it to search for a package. It may be slow the first time, but further runs will use cached results.		While this command requires [[flakes]], you can use it to search for a package. It may be slow the first time, but further runs will use cached results.

	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix ~~--extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes"~~ search nixpkgs firefox</syntaxhighlight>		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix search nixpkgs firefox</syntaxhighlight>

	; pros:		; pros:
Line 45:		Line 45:
	With the read–eval–print loop (REPL) of nix you can browse packages interactively.		With the read–eval–print loop (REPL) of nix you can browse packages interactively.

	Starting the [[nix command/repl\|nix repl]]		Starting the [https://nixos.org/manual/nix/stable/command-ref/new-cli/nix3-repl.html nix repl]
	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix repl</syntaxhighlight>		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix repl</syntaxhighlight>
	<syntaxhighlight lang="console">		<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
	Welcome to Nix 2.8.1. Type :? for help.		Welcome to Nix 2.18.2. Type :? for help.

	nix-repl>		nix-repl>
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>

Line 57:		Line 57:
	nix-repl>		nix-repl>
	</syntaxhighlight>		</syntaxhighlight>
	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">:load <nixpkgs~~></syntaxhighlight>~~		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix-repl> :load <nixpkgs>
	~~<syntaxhighlight lang="console"~~>		Added 21181 variables.
	Added ~~16519~~ variables.		</syntaxhighlight>Type the first letters of a package
	</syntaxhighlight>		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix-repl> neo </syntaxhighlight>

	Type the first letters of a package
	<syntaxhighlight lang="~~console~~">nix-repl>~~</syntaxhighlight>~~
	~~<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">firef~~</syntaxhighlight>
	Press <tt>Tab ↹</tt> key<!-- {{[[mw:Template::Key press]]\|Tab}} --> for auto completion		Press <tt>Tab ↹</tt> key<!-- {{[[mw:Template::Key press]]\|Tab}} --> for auto completion

	== Reverse search: searching which package provides a file ==		== Reverse search: searching which package provides a file ==

	There is a third party ~~program~~ [https://github.com/~~bennofs~~/nix-index nix-index] to find which package provides a given file. This is particularly useful when you are looking for a very specific file but you don't know which package installs it.		There is third party programs [https://github.com/nix-community/nix-index nix-index], and [https://wiki.nixos.org/wiki/Flakes rippkgs] to find which package provides a given file. This is particularly useful when you are looking for a very specific file but you don't know which package installs it.

	[[Category:Reference]]		[[Category:Reference]]
	[[Category:Nixpkgs]]		[[Category:Nixpkgs]]

Klinger: Package search does not only search package names, but also the description. Added pro/contra to a subsection. Added idea of search engines in browser)

2024-04-18T16:14:28Z

Package search does not only search package names, but also the description. Added pro/contra to a subsection. Added idea of search engines in browser)

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:14, 18 April 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	There are ~~multiple ways to search~~ for a package ~~name~~ in <code>nixpkgs</code>.		There are numerous approaches available for searching substrings within both package names and package descriptions in <code>nixpkgs</code>.

	== Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> website ==		== Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> website ==
Line 14:		Line 14:
	* easy to use		* easy to use
	* allows filters		* allows filters
			* nice GUI in browser
			* browser extensions possible (like @nixpgs as search engine in Firefox)
	; cons:		; cons:
	* requires Internet connection		* always requires Internet connection

	== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix search</code> command ==
Line 22:		Line 24:

	<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" search nixpkgs firefox</syntaxhighlight>		<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" search nixpkgs firefox</syntaxhighlight>

			; pros:
			* fast
			* possible offline usage
			; cons:
			* requires disk space for caching
			* quite long command

	== Using the <code>nix-env</code> command ==		== Using the <code>nix-env</code> command ==