Nix Run

, ripgrep --help
, fd --help

Open a shell with multiple packages

nix-shell -p git vim lazygit

Run a command in a shell environment

nix-shell -p go --run "go version"

Troubleshooting

• Package not found: Try a different package name or check spelling
• Slow first run: Downloads from binary cache - subsequent runs are instant
• Build from source: If no binary cache available, Nix will build from source

Best Practices

1. Always try , before asking user to install something
2. Use nix-shell when you need multiple packages or interactive use
3. Remember that , exits after executing - no cleanup needed
4. Binary cache makes most packages instant after first download
5. Works with full host permissions - can access all files and services