Nix Package Search - nps

Cache the nix package list, query and sort by relevance.

Find installable packages at lightning speed and sort the result by relevance, split by ...

• indirect hits - packages that contain the search string,
• direct hits - packages that start with the search string,
• exact hits - the package that matches your exact search string,

... in configurable individual colors, optionally separated by a newline. Have a look:

Running via nixpkgs Repository (Recommended ⭐)

This is the safest way to run a well-tested nps version from the official repository.

Try It Without Installing

Flakes ❄️

nix run nixpkgs#nps -- COMMAND_LINE_OPTIONS

No Flakes ☀️

nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" run nixpkgs#nps -- COMMAND_LINE_OPTIONS

Declarative Installation (Recommended ⭐)

Add nps to your systemPackages in configuration.nix:

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
    nps
    ...
];

Running via GitHub (Bleeding Edge)

If you want the latest features before they hit nixpkgs.

Try It Without Installing

Flakes ❄️

nix run github:OleMussmann/nps -- COMMAND_LINE_OPTIONS

No Flakes ☀️

nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" run github:OleMussmann/nps -- COMMAND_LINE_OPTIONS

Declarative Installation (Recommended ⭐)

Flakes ❄️

⚠️ The way of installing third-party flakes is highly dependent on your personal configuration. As far as I know there is no standardized, canonical way to do this. Instead, here is a generic approach via overlays. You will need to adapt it to your config files.

Add nps to your inputs:

inputs = {
  nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-25.11";

  # Nix Package Search - nps
  nps.url = "github:OleMussmann/nps";
  nps.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
};

Add an overlay to your outputs:

outputs = { self, nixpkgs, ... }@inputs:
let
  third-party-packages = final: prev: {
    nps = inputs.nps.packages.${prev.system}.default;
    <other third party flakes you have>
  };
in {
  nixosConfigurations."<hostname>" = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
    system = "<your_system_architecture>";
    modules = [
      ({ config, pkgs, ... }: { nixpkgs.overlays = [ third-party-packages ]; })
      ./configuration.nix
    ];
  };
};

Finally, add nps to your systemPackages in configuration.nix:

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
    other_packages
    third-party-packages.nps
    ...
];

No Flakes ☀️

Add nps to your systemPackages in configuration.nix:

environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
    other_packages
    # Nix Package Search - nps:
    (builtins.getFlake "github:OleMussmann/nps").packages.${builtins.currentSystem}.nps
    ...
];

By Hand

• Clone this repository and cd nps into it.
• Build with cargo build --release. Dependencies needed: gcc, cargo
• Copy or symlink the target/release/nps executable to a folder in your PATH, or include it in your PATH.

Automatic Cache Refresh (Optional, Recommended ⭐)

Instead of running nps -r (or nps -e -r for using the nix "experimental" features a.k.a flakes) by hand every once in a while to refresh the package cache, or you can set up a systemd timer at regular intervals. If you automate it, make sure to do so with your local user environment.

systemd.timers."refresh-nps-cache" = {
    wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
    timerConfig = {
        OnCalendar = "weekly";  # or however often you'd like
        Persistent = true;
        Unit = "refresh-nps-cache.service";
    };
};

systemd.services."refresh-nps-cache" = {
    # Make sure `nix` and `nix-env` are findable by systemd.services.
    path = ["/run/current-system/sw/"];
    serviceConfig = {
        Type = "oneshot";
        User = "REPLACE_ME";  # ⚠️ replace with your "username" or "${user}", if it's defined
    };
    script = ''
        set -eu
        echo "Start refreshing nps cache..."
        # ⚠️ note the use of overlay (as described above), adjust if needed
        # ⚠️ use `nps -dddd -e -r` if you use flakes
        ${pkgs.third-party-packages.nps}/bin/nps -r -dddd
        echo "... finished nps cache with exit code $?."
    '';
};

Testing Automated Cache Refresh

• Test the service by starting it by hand and checking the logs. bash sudo systemctl start refresh-nps-cache.service journalctl -xeu refresh-nps-cache.service

• Test your timer by letting it run, for example, every 5 minutes. Adjust the timers as follows.

diff -OnCalendar = "weekly"; +OnBootSec = "5m"; +OnUnitActiveSec = "5m";

Check the logs if it ran successfully. bash journalctl -xeu refresh-nps-cache.service

⚠️ Don't forget to revert your changes afterwards.

Usage

• nps PACKAGE_NAME searches the cache file for packages matching the PACKAGE_NAME search string.
• The cache is created on the first call. Be patient, it might take a while. This is done under the hood by capturing the output of nix-env -qaP (or nix search nixpkgs ^ for "experimental"/flake mode). Subsequent queries are much faster.

Find SEARCH_TERM in available nix packages and sort results by relevance.

List up to three columns, the latter two being optional:
PACKAGE_NAME  <PACKAGE_VERSION>  <PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION>

Matches are sorted by type. Show 'indirect' matches first, then 'direct' matches, and finally 'exact' matches.

  indirect  fooSEARCH_TERMbar (SEARCH_TERM appears in any column)
  direct    SEARCH_TERMbar (PACKAGE_NAME starts with SEARCH_TERM)
  exact     SEARCH_TERM (PACKAGE_NAME is exactly SEARCH_TERM)

Usage: nps [OPTIONS] [SEARCH_TERM]

Arguments:
  [SEARCH_TERM]
          Search for any SEARCH_TERM in package names, description or versions

Options:
  -c, --color[=<COLOR>]
          Highlight search matches in color

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLOR_MODE=]
          [default: auto]
          [aliases: colour]
          [possible values: auto, always, never]

  -C, --columns[=<COLUMNS>]
          Choose columns to show

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLUMNS=]
          [default: all]

          Possible values:
          - all:         Show all columns
          - none:        Show only PACKAGE_NAME
          - version:     Also show PACKAGE_VERSION
          - description: Also show PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION

  -d, --debug...
          Turn debugging information on

          Use up to four times for increased verbosity

  -e, --experimental[=<EXPERIMENTAL>]
          Use experimental flakes

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_EXPERIMENTAL=]
          [default: false]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -f, --flip[=<FLIP>]
          Flip the order of matches and sorting

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_FLIP=]
          [default: false]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -i, --ignore-case[=<IGNORE_CASE>]
          Ignore case

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_IGNORE_CASE=]
          [default: true]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -m, --multi-line[=<MULTI_LINE>]
          Multi line

          Print search matches on two lines, followed by a newline:
          > PACKAGE_NAME  PACKAGE_VERSION
          >     PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
          >

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_MULTI_LINE=]
          [default: false]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -q, --quiet[=<QUIET>]
          Suppress non-debug messages

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_QUIET=]
          [default: false]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -r, --refresh
          Refresh package cache and exit

  -s, --separate[=<SEPARATE>]
          Separate match types with a newline

          Only applicable when --multi-line=false

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_PRINT_SEPARATOR=]
          [default: true]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -t, --truncate[=<TRUNCATE>]
          Separate match types with a newline

          Only applicable when --multi-line=false

          [env: NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_TRUNCATE=]
          [default: false]
          [possible values: true, false]

  -h, --help
          Print help (see a summary with '-h')

  -V, --version
          Print version

Configuration

Apart from command line flags, nps can be configured with environment variables. You can set these in your config file. Below are the defaults. Uncomment and change the ones you need.

environment.sessionVariables = {
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLOR_MODE = "auto";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLUMNS = "all";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_EXPERIMENTAL = "false";  # Set to "true" for flakes
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_FLIP = "false";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_IGNORE_CASE = "true";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_MULTI_LINE = "false";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_PRINT_SEPARATOR = "true";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_QUIET = "false";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_TRUNCATE = "false";

    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_CACHE_FOLDER_ABSOLUTE_PATH = "/home/YOUR_USERNAME/.nix-package-search";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_EXACT_COLOR = "magenta";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_DIRECT_COLOR = "blue";
    #NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_INDIRECT_COLOR = "green";
};

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_EXPERIMENTAL

Use the experimental nix search command. It pulls information from the nix flake registries instead of nix channels. This is useful if no channels are in use, or channels are not updated regularly.

• default: false
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_FLIP

Flip the order of matches? By default most relevant matches appear below, which is easier to read with long output. Flipping shows most relevant matches on top.

• default: false
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_CACHE_FOLDER_ABSOLUTE_PATH

Absolute path of the cache folder

• default: /home/YOUR_USERNAME/.nix-package-search
• possible values: path

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLUMNS

Choose columns to show: PACKAGE_NAME plus any of PACKAGE_VERSION or PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION

• default: all
• possible values: all, none, version, description

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_EXACT_COLOR

Color of EXACT matches, match SEARCH_TERM in PACKAGE_NAME

• default: magenta
• possible values: black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_DIRECT_COLOR

Color of DIRECT matches, match SEARCH_TERMbar in PACKAGE_NAME

• default: blue
• possible values: black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_INDIRECT_COLOR

Color of INDIRECT matches, match fooSEARCH_TERMbar in any column

• default: green
• possible values: black, blue, green, red, cyan, magenta, yellow, white

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_COLOR_MODE

Show search matches in color

• default: auto (only show color if stdout is in terminal, suppress if e.g. piped)
• possible values: always, never, auto

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_PRINT_SEPARATOR

Separate matches with a newline?

• default: true
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_QUIET

Suppress non-debug messages?

• default: false
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_IGNORE_CASE

Search ignore capitalization for the search?

• default: true
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_MULTI_LINE

Print search matches on multiple lines?

> PACKAGE_NAME  PACKAGE_VERSION
>     PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION
>

• default: false
• possible values: true, false

NIX_PACKAGE_SEARCH_TRUNCATE

Truncate lines longer than terminal width?

> PACKAGE_NAME  PACKAGE_VERSION  PACKAGE_DESC…

• default: false
• possible values: true, false

Contributing

1. Check existing issues or open a new one to suggest a feature or report a bug.
2. Fork the repository, check the DEVELOPMENT.md and make your changes
3. Open a pull request