How to use the command 'nix edit' (with examples)
The ’nix edit’ command allows you to open the Nix expression of a Nix package in your chosen text editor. This can be useful for inspecting and modifying the source code of the package. In this article, we will explore two different use cases of the ’nix edit’ command.
Use case 1: Open the source of a Nix expression from nixpkgs in your editor
Code:
nix edit nixpkgs#pkg
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to view or edit the source code of a specific Nix package from the nixpkgs repository.
Explanation:
nix edit: The main command to open a Nix expression in your editor.nixpkgs#pkg: Specifies the package you want to open. ’nixpkgs’ refers to the nixpkgs repository, and ‘pkg’ is the name of the specific package.
Example output:
If you run nix edit nixpkgs#hello, the command will open the Nix expression for the ‘hello’ package in your chosen text editor.
Use case 2: Dump the source of a package to stdout
Code:
EDITOR=cat nix edit nixpkgs#pkg
Motivation: This use case allows you to quickly view the source code of a Nix package without explicitly opening your editor. The package source will be displayed directly in the terminal.
Explanation:
EDITOR=cat: Sets the ‘cat’ command as the editor, which will display the output in the terminal.nix edit nixpkgs#pkg: Specifies the package you want to dump. ’nixpkgs’ refers to the nixpkgs repository, and ‘pkg’ is the name of the specific package.
Example output:
If you execute EDITOR=cat nix edit nixpkgs#hello, the command will display the source code of the ‘hello’ package directly in the terminal.
Conclusion:
The ’nix edit’ command provides a convenient way to open and inspect Nix package expressions in your preferred text editor. Whether you want to modify the source code or just view it, ’nix edit’ gives you the flexibility to work with Nix packages efficiently.
