Searching packages: Difference between revisions
imported>Vater there is also a search for everybody's (experimental) darling flakes nowadays |
imported>Vater form & foo |
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There are multiple ways to search for a package name in <code>nixpkgs</code>. | There are multiple ways to search for a package name in <code>nixpkgs</code>. | ||
== Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> == | == Using <code>search.nixos.org</code> website == | ||
There is a web service to search for | There is a web service to search for | ||
* Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages] | * with [[channels]] | ||
* NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options] | ** Nix packages at [https://search.nixos.org/packages search.nixos.org/packages] | ||
* | ** NixOS options at [https://search.nixos.org/options search.nixos.org/options] | ||
* options | * with [[flakes]] | ||
** packages at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options] | |||
** options at [https://search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages] | |||
; pros: | |||
* easy to use | |||
* allows filters | |||
; cons: | |||
* requires Internet connection | |||
== Using <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 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. | ||
< | <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" search nixpkgs firefox</syntaxhighlight> | ||
</ | |||
== Using the <code>nix-env</code> command == | == Using the <code>nix-env</code> command == | ||
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It's possible to search for a package using <code>nix-env -qaP</code> | It's possible to search for a package using <code>nix-env -qaP</code> | ||
; pros: | |||
* works offline | |||
; cons: | |||
* it's very slow and requires a lot of memory | |||
== | == Using the <code>nix repl</code> environment == | ||
With the read–eval–print loop (REPL) of nix you can browse packages interactively. | |||
< | Starting the [[nix command/repl|nix repl]] | ||
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">nix repl</syntaxhighlight> | |||
<syntaxhighlight lang="console"> | |||
Welcome to Nix 2.8.1. Type :? for help. | Welcome to Nix 2.8.1. Type :? for help. | ||
nix-repl> :load <nixpkgs> | nix-repl> | ||
</syntaxhighlight> | |||
Loading the repository for nixpkgs | |||
<syntaxhighlight lang="console"> | |||
nix-repl> | |||
</syntaxhighlight> | |||
<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">:load <nixpkgs></syntaxhighlight> | |||
<syntaxhighlight lang="console"> | |||
Added 16519 variables. | Added 16519 variables. | ||
</syntaxhighlight> | |||
nix-repl> firef | 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 | |||
== Reverse search: searching which package provides a file == | == Reverse search: searching which package provides a file == | ||
Revision as of 00:10, 29 December 2022
There are multiple ways to search for a package name in nixpkgs.
Using search.nixos.org website
There is a web service to search for
- with channels
- Nix packages at search.nixos.org/packages
- NixOS options at search.nixos.org/options
- with flakes
- packages at search.nixos.org/flakes?type=options
- options at search.nixos.org/flakes?type=packages
- pros
- easy to use
- allows filters
- cons
- requires Internet connection
Using the nix search 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.
nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" search nixpkgs firefox
Using the nix-env command
It's possible to search for a package using nix-env -qaP
- pros
- works offline
- cons
- it's very slow and requires a lot of memory
Using the nix repl environment
With the read–eval–print loop (REPL) of nix you can browse packages interactively.
Starting the nix repl
nix repl
Welcome to Nix 2.8.1. Type :? for help.
nix-repl>
Loading the repository for nixpkgs
nix-repl>
:load <nixpkgs>
Added 16519 variables.
Type the first letters of a package
nix-repl>
firef
Press Tab ↹ key for auto completion
Reverse search: searching which package provides a file
There is a third party program 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.