path: root/doc/manual/nix-env.xml

<refentry>
  <refnamediv>
    <refname>nix-env</refname>
    <refpurpose>manipulate or query Nix user environments</refpurpose>
  </refnamediv>

  <refsynopsisdiv>
    <cmdsynopsis>
      <command>nix-env</command>
      &opt-common-syn;
      <arg>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--file</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-f</option></arg>
        </group>
        <replaceable>path</replaceable>
      </arg>
      <arg>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--profile</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-p</option></arg>
        </group>
        <replaceable>path</replaceable>
      </arg>
      <arg><option>--dry-run</option></arg>
      <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>operation</replaceable></arg>
      <arg rep='repeat'><replaceable>options</replaceable></arg>
      <arg rep='repeat'><replaceable>arguments</replaceable></arg>
    </cmdsynopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>

  <refsection>
    <title>Description</title>

    <para>
      The command <command>nix-env</command> is used to manipulate Nix
      user environments.  User environments are sets of software
      components available to a user at some point in time.  In other
      words, they are a synthesised view of the programs available in
      the Nix store.  There may be many user environments: different
      users can have different environments, and individual users can
      switch between different environments.
    </para>

<!--    <para>
      Environments are manipulated by operations such as the
      installation and removal of components (hereafter called
      <emphasis>derivations</emphasis>).  These operations are not
      destructive: rather than overwrite the current environment, they
      create a new environment to which we can then atomically
      <emphasis>switch</emphasis> by flipping a symlink.
    </para> -->

    <para>
      <command>nix-env</command> takes exactly one
      <emphasis>operation</emphasis> flag which indicates the
      subcommand to be performed.  These are documented below.
    </para>
    
  </refsection>



  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Common options</title>

    <para>
      This section lists the options that are common to all
      operations.  These options are allowed for every subcommand,
      though they may not always have an effect.
    </para>

    <variablelist>

      &opt-common;

      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--file</option> / <option>-f</option></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Specifies the Nix expression (designated below as the
            <emphasis>active Nix expression</emphasis>) used by the
            <option>--install</option>, <option>--upgrade</option>,
            and <option>--query --available</option> operations to
            obtain derivations.  The default is
            <filename>~/.nix-defexpr</filename>.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      
      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--profile</option> / <option>-p</option></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            Specifies the profile to be used by those operations that
            operate on a profile (designated below as the
            <emphasis>active profile</emphasis>).  A profile is
            sequence of user environments called
            <emphasis>generations</emphasis>, one of which is the
            <emphasis>current generation</emphasis>.  The default
            profile is the target of the symbolic link
            <filename>~/.nix-profile</filename> (see below).
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      
      <varlistentry>
        <term><option>--dry-run</option></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            For the <option>--install</option>,
            <option>--upgrade</option>, <option>--uninstall</option>,
            <option>--switch-generation</option> and
            <option>--rollback</option> operations, this flag will
            cause <command>nix-env</command> to print what
            <emphasis>would</emphasis> be done if this flag had not
            been specified, without actually doing it.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      
    </variablelist>

  </refsection>

  

  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Files</title>

    <variablelist>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>~/.nix-defexpr</filename></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            The default Nix expression used by the
            <option>--install</option>, <option>--upgrade</option>,
            and <option>--query --available</option> operations to
            obtain derivations.  It is generally a symbolic link to
            some other location set using the
            <option>--import</option> operation.  The
            <option>--file</option> option may be used to override
            this default.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>~/.nix-profile</filename></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            A symbolic link to the user's current profile.  By
            default, this symlink points to
            <filename><replaceable>prefix</replaceable>/var/nix/profiles/default</filename>.
            The <envar>PATH</envar> environment variable should
            include <filename>~/.nix-profile/bin</filename> for the
            user environment to be visible to the user.
          </para>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>
        
  </refsection>

  

  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--install</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--install</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-i</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='plain' rep='repeat'><replaceable>drvnames</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        The install operation creates a new user environment, based on
        the current generation of the active profile, to which the
        derivations designated by <replaceable>drvnames</replaceable>
        in the active Nix expression are added.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env --install gcc-3.3.2 <lineannotation>(install specific version)</lineannotation>
$ nix-env --install gcc <lineannotation>(just pick any version)</lineannotation>
$ nix-env -f ~/foo.nix -i '*' <lineannotation>(install everything in <filename>foo.nix</filename>)</lineannotation></screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--upgrade</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--upgrade</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-u</option></arg>
        </group>
        <group choice='opt'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--lt</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--leq</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--always</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='plain' rep='repeat'><replaceable>drvnames</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        The upgrade operation creates a new user environment, based on
        the current generation of the active profile, in which all
        derivations designated by <replaceable>drvnames</replaceable>
        for which there are newer versions in the active Nix
        expression are replaced by those newer versions.  Matching
        derivations for which there are no newer versions are left
        untouched; this is not an error.  It is also not an error if
        an element of <replaceable>drvnames</replaceable> matches no
        installed derivations.
      </para>

      <para>
        If multiple derivations in the active Nix expression match an
        installed derivation, the one with the highest version is
        selected.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Flags</title>

      <variablelist>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--lt</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              Only upgrade a derivation to newer versions.  This is
              the default.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--leq</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              In addition to upgrading to newer versions, also
              <quote>upgrade</quote> to derivations that have the same
              version.  Version are not a unique identification of a
              derivation, so there may be many derivations that have
              the same version.  This flag may be useful to force
              <quote>synchronisation</quote> between the installed and
              available derivations.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--always</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              In addition to upgrading to newer versions, also
              <quote>upgrade</quote> to derivations that have the same
              or a lower version.  I.e., derivations may actually be
              downgraded depending on what is available in the active
              Nix expression.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

      </variablelist>

    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env --upgrade gcc
upgrading `gcc-3.3.1' to `gcc-3.4'

$ nix-env -u gcc-3.3.2 --always <lineannotation>(switch to a specific version)</lineannotation>
upgrading `gcc-3.4' to `gcc-3.3.2'

$ nix-env --upgrade pan
<lineannotation>(no upgrades available, so nothing happens)</lineannotation>

$ nix-env -u '*' <lineannotation>(try to upgrade everything)</lineannotation>
upgrading `hello-2.1.2' to `hello-2.1.3'
upgrading `mozilla-1.2' to `mozilla-1.4'</screen>        

    </refsection>
    
    <refsection>
      <title>Versions</title>

      <para>
        The upgrade operation determines whether a derivation
        <varname>y</varname> is an upgrade of a derivation
        <varname>x</varname> by looking at their respective
        <literal>name</literal> attributes.  The names (e.g.,
        <literal>gcc-3.3.1</literal> are split into two parts: the
        package name (<literal>gcc</literal>), and the version
        (<literal>3.3.1</literal>).  The version part starts after the
        first dash not following by a letter.  <varname>x</varname> is
        considered an upgrade of <varname>y</varname> if their package
        names match, and the version of <varname>y</varname> is higher
        that that of <varname>x</varname>.
      </para>

      <para>
        The versions are compared by splitting them into contiguous
        components of numbers and letters.  E.g.,
        <literal>3.3.1pre5</literal> is split into <literal>[3, 3, 1,
        "pre", 5]</literal>.  These lists are then compared
        lexicographically (from left to right).  Corresponding
        components <varname>a</varname> and <varname>b</varname> are
        compared as follows.  If they are both numbers, integer
        comparison is used.  If <varname>a</varname> is an empty
        string and <varname>b</varname> is a number,
        <varname>a</varname> is considered less than
        <varname>b</varname>.  The special string component
        <literal>pre</literal> (for <emphasis>pre-release</emphasis>)
        is considered to be less than other components.  String
        components are considered less than number components.
        Otherwise, they are compared lexicographically (i.e., using
        case-sensitive string comparison).
      </para>

      <para>
        This is illustrated by the following examples:

        <screen>
1.0 &lt; 2.3
2.1 &lt; 2.3
2.3 = 2.3
2.5 > 2.3
3.1 > 2.3
2.3.1 > 2.3
2.3.1 > 2.3a
2.3pre1 &lt; 2.3
2.3pre3 &lt; 2.3pre12
2.3a &lt; 2.3c
2.3pre1 &lt; 2.3c
2.3pre1 &lt; 2.3q</screen>
        
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
  </refsection>

  

  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--uninstall</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--uninstall</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-e</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='plain' rep='repeat'><replaceable>drvnames</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        The uninstall operation creates a new user environment, based
        on the current generation of the active profile, from which the
        derivations designated by <replaceable>drvnames</replaceable>
        are removed.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env --uninstall gcc
$ nix-env -e '*' <lineannotation>(remove everything)</lineannotation></screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--query</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--query</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-q</option></arg>
        </group>
        <group choice='opt'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--installed</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--available</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-a</option></arg>
        </group>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--name</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--expr</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--status</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-s</option></arg>
        </group>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        The query operation displays information about either the
        derivations that are installed in the current generation of
        the active profile (<option>--installed</option>), or the
        derivations that are available for installation in the active
        Nix expression (<option>--available</option>).
      </para>

      <para>
        The derivations are sorted by their <literal>name</literal>
        attributes.
      </para>

    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Source selection</title>

      <para>
        The following flags specify the set of derivations on which
        the query operates.
      </para>

      <variablelist>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--installed</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              The query operates on the derivations that are installed
              in the current generation of the active profile.  This
              is the default
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--available</option> / <option>-a</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              The query operates on the derivations that are available
              in the active Nix expression.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

      </variablelist>
            
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Queries</title>

      <para>
        The following flags specify what information to display about
        the selected derivations.  Only one type of query may be
        specified.
      </para>

      <variablelist>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--name</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              Prints the <literal>name</literal> attribute of each
              derivation.  This is the default.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--expr</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              Prints the store expression in the Nix store that
              described the derivation.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

        <varlistentry>
          <term><option>--status</option> / <option>-s</option></term>
          <listitem>
            <para>
              Prints the <emphasis>status</emphasis> of each
              derivation, followed by its <literal>name</literal>
              attribute.  The status consists of three characters.
              The first is <literal>I</literal> or
              <literal>-</literal>, indicating whether the derivation
              is currently installed in the current generation of the
              active profile.  This is by definition the case for
              <option>--installed</option>, but not for
              <option>--available</option>.  The second is
              <literal>P</literal> or <literal>-</literal>, indicating
              whether the derivation is present on the system.  This
              indicates whether installation of an available
              derivation will require the derivation to be built.  The
              third is <literal>S</literal> or <literal>-</literal>,
              indicating whether a substitute is available for the
              derivation.
            </para>
          </listitem>
        </varlistentry>

      </variablelist>
              
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env -q <lineannotation>(show installed derivations)</lineannotation>
MozillaFirebird-0.7
bison-1.875c
docbook-xml-4.2
...

$ nix-env -qa <lineannotation>(show available derivations)</lineannotation>
GConf-2.4.0.1
MPlayer-1.0pre3
MozillaFirebird-0.7
ORBit2-2.8.3
...

$ nix-env -qas <lineannotation>(show status of available derivations)</lineannotation>
-P- GConf-2.4.0.1 <lineannotation>(not installed but present)</lineannotation>
--S MPlayer-1.0pre3 <lineannotation>(not present, but there is a substitute for fast installation)</lineannotation>
--S MozillaFirebird-0.7 <lineannotation>(i.e., this is not the installed Firebird, even though the version is the same!)</lineannotation>
IP- bison-1.875c <lineannotation>(installed and by definition present)</lineannotation>
...

$ nix-env -f ./foo.nix -qa <lineannotation>(show available derivations in the Nix expression <filename>foo.nix</filename>)</lineannotation>
foo-1.2.3</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>
  
    

  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--switch-profile</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--switch-profile</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-S</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='req'><replaceable>path</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        This operation makes <replaceable>path</replaceable> the
        current profile for the user.  That is, the symlink
        <filename>~/.nix-profile</filename> is made to point to
        <replaceable>path</replaceable>.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env -S ~/my-profile</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--list-generations</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <arg choice='req'><option>--list-generations</option></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        This operation print a list of all the currently existing
        generations for the active profile.  These may be switched to
        using the <option>--switch-generation</option> operation.  It
        also prints the creation date of the generation, and indicates
        the current generation.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env --list-generations
  95   2004-02-06 11:48:24
  96   2004-02-06 11:49:01
  97   2004-02-06 16:22:45
  98   2004-02-06 16:24:33   (current)</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--switch-generation</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--switch-generation</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-G</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='req'><replaceable>generation</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        This operation makes generation number
        <replaceable>generation</replaceable> the current generation
        of the active profile.  That is, if the
        <filename><replaceable>profile</replaceable></filename> is the
        path to the active profile, then the symlink
        <filename><replaceable>profile</replaceable></filename> is
        made to point to
        <filename><replaceable>profile</replaceable>-<replaceable>generation</replaceable>-link</filename>,
        which is in turn a symlink to the actual user environment in
        the Nix store.
      </para>

      <para>
        Switching will fail if the specified generation does not
        exist.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env -G 42
switching from generation 50 to 42</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--rollback</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <arg choice='req'><option>--rollback</option></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        This operation switches to the <quote>previous</quote>
        generation of the active profile, that is, the highest
        numbered generation lower than the current generation, if it
        exists.  It is just a convenience wrapper around
        <option>--list-generations</option> and
        <option>--switch-generation</option>.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env --rollback
switching from generation 92 to 91

$ nix-env --rolback
error: no generation older than the current (91) exists</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
  <!--######################################################################-->

  <refsection>
    <title>Operation <option>--import</option></title>

    <refsection>
      <title>Synopsis</title>
      <cmdsynopsis>
        <command>nix-env</command>
        <group choice='req'>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>--import</option></arg>
          <arg choice='plain'><option>-I</option></arg>
        </group>
        <arg choice='req'><replaceable>path</replaceable></arg>
      </cmdsynopsis>
    </refsection>

    <refsection>
      <title>Description</title>
            
      <para>
        This operation makes <replaceable>path</replaceable> the
        default active Nix expression for the user.  That is, the
        symlink <filename>~/.nix-userenv</filename> is made to point
        to <replaceable>path</replaceable>.
      </para>

    </refsection>
            
    <refsection>
      <title>Examples</title>

      <screen>
$ nix-env -I ~/nixpkgs-0.5/</screen>

    </refsection>
    
  </refsection>


  
</refentry>