Quick Start

This chapter is for impatient people who don't like reading documentation. For more in-depth information you are kindly referred to subsequent chapters.

  1. Install Nix:

    $ curl -L https://nixos.org/nix/install | sh
    

    The install script will use sudo, so make sure you have sufficient rights.

    For other installation methods, see the detailed installation instructions.

  2. Run software without installing it permanently:

    $ nix-shell --packages cowsay lolcat
    

    This downloads the specified packages with all their dependencies, and drops you into a Bash shell where the commands provided by those packages are present. This will not affect your normal environment:

    [nix-shell:~]$ cowsay Hello, Nix! | lolcat
    

    Exiting the shell will make the programs disappear again:

    [nix-shell:~]$ exit
    $ lolcat
    lolcat: command not found
    
  3. Search for more packages on search.nixos.org to try them out.

  4. Free up storage space:

    $ nix-collect-garbage