nix search

Warning: This program is experimental and its interface is subject to change.

# Name

`nix search` - search for packages

# Synopsis

`nix search` [option...] installable regex...

# Examples

- Show all packages in the `nixpkgs` flake:

      # nix search nixpkgs
      * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.AMB-plugins (0.8.1)
        A set of ambisonics ladspa plugins

      * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.ArchiSteamFarm (4.3.1.0)
        Application with primary purpose of idling Steam cards from multiple accounts simultaneously
      …

- Show packages in the `nixpkgs` flake containing `blender` in its name or description:

      # nix search nixpkgs blender
      * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.blender (2.91.0)
        3D Creation/Animation/Publishing System

- Search for packages underneath the attribute `gnome3` in Nixpkgs:

      # nix search nixpkgs#gnome3 vala
      * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.gnome3.vala (0.48.9)
        Compiler for GObject type system

- Show all packages in the flake in the current directory:

      # nix search

- Search for Firefox or Chromium:

      # nix search nixpkgs 'firefox|chromium'

- Search for packages containing `git'`and either `frontend` or `gui`:

      # nix search nixpkgs git 'frontend|gui'

# Description

`nix search` searches installable (which must be evaluatable, e.g. a flake) for packages whose name or description matches all of the regular expressions regex. For each matching package, It prints the full attribute name (from the root of the installable), the version and the `meta.description` field, highlighting the substrings that were matched by the regular expressions. If no regular expressions are specified, all packages are shown.

# Flake output attributes

If no flake output attribute is given, `nix search` searches for packages:

- Directly underneath `packages.<system>`.

- Underneath `legacyPackages.<system>`, recursing into attribute sets that contain an attribute `recurseForDerivations = true`.

# Options

- `--json`
  Produce output in JSON format, suitable for consumption by another program.

Common evaluation options:

- `--arg` name expr
  Pass the value expr as the argument name to Nix functions.

- `--argstr` name string
  Pass the string string as the argument name to Nix functions.

- `--eval-store` store-url
  The Nix store to use for evaluations.

- `--impure`
  Allow access to mutable paths and repositories.

- `--include` / `-I` path
  Add path to the list of locations used to look up `<...>` file names.

- `--override-flake` original-ref resolved-ref
  Override the flake registries, redirecting original-ref to resolved-ref.

Common flake-related options:

- `--commit-lock-file`
  Commit changes to the flake's lock file.

- `--inputs-from` flake-url
  Use the inputs of the specified flake as registry entries.

- `--no-registries`
  Don't allow lookups in the flake registries. This option is deprecated; use `--no-use-registries`.

- `--no-update-lock-file`
  Do not allow any updates to the flake's lock file.

- `--no-write-lock-file`
  Do not write the flake's newly generated lock file.

- `--override-input` input-path flake-url
  Override a specific flake input (e.g. `dwarffs/nixpkgs`). This implies `--no-write-lock-file`.

- `--recreate-lock-file`
  Recreate the flake's lock file from scratch.

- `--update-input` input-path
  Update a specific flake input (ignoring its previous entry in the lock file).

Options that change the interpretation of installables:

- `--derivation`
  Operate on the store derivation rather than its outputs.

- `--expr` expr
  Interpret installables as attribute paths relative to the Nix expression expr.

- `--file` / `-f` file
  Interpret installables as attribute paths relative to the Nix expression stored in file.