cytrinox

Every month I try #NixOS again and again, but I don't really move forward. For basic tasks, it seems there exists no simple solution, like:

1. What is the pendant to "apt-cache search <somepackage>" that is FAST?

2. What is the pendant to "apt-cache policy <somepackage>"? I want to know if this package is installed or not, what version is installed and is maybe a newer version available?

3. How to check which packages are upgraded & the version of these packages?

8:56amWeb
Show threadElias Probst8h ago

@cytrinox I believe "Nix helper" / nh should cover most of your needs:
https://github.com/nix-community/nh?tab=readme-ov-file#usage

#Nix #NixOS #NixHelper

Show threadJustinas7h ago
@cytrinox 2. is complicated, since in NixOS "a package is installed" is complicated. Something like `nix-tree /run/current-system` will give you the most comprehensive insight (including transitive dependencies and all), but don't be surprised if you see packages repeated: package A and package B might both pull in some package X in different versions, or with slightly different build options (in which case, both variants of X will have "the same version" and the only obvious difference will be the hash).
Show threadPonygol6h ago
@justinas @cytrinox Also, in NixOS, just because a package is installed as a dependency for another, does not mean it is available in the rest of the system, unlike Debian. Only stuff you explicitely configure to be will.
Show threadcytrinox3h ago
@ponygol @justinas Well, maybe I should not think in "debian-style" 🥴