search-nix

Search NixOS packages from the terminal. Queries the search.nixos.org Elasticsearch backend directly.

Install

# Run directly without installing
nix run github:DariusCorvus/search-nix -- fuser

# Install to profile
nix profile install github:DariusCorvus/search-nix

Or add as a flake input:

{
  inputs.search-nix.url = "github:DariusCorvus/search-nix";

  # then use search-nix.packages.${system}.default
}

Or build from source:

git clone https://github.com/DariusCorvus/search-nix.git
cd search-nix
go build -o search-nix .

Usage

Usage: search-nix [OPTIONS] [query]

Options:
  -c, --channel <channel>   Channel to search (unstable, 25.11, 24.11, ...)
                            Default: auto-detected from nixos-version
  -n, --size <n>            Number of results (default: 20, max: 50)
  -v, --verbose             Show full output (homepage, license, programs)
  -t, --tui                 Launch interactive TUI mode
  -h, --help                Show this help

CLI mode

search-nix fuser              # search for "fuser"
search-nix -v fuser           # verbose output (homepage, license, all programs)
search-nix -n 5 python linter # top 5 results for "python linter"
search-nix -c unstable ffmpeg # search the unstable channel

Results are displayed with the best match at the bottom of the terminal for easy reading:

───
[2]  busybox  1.37.0 *
     Tiny versions of common UNIX utilities in a single small executable
     programs fuser  runsv  swapon  openvt  reset  (+397 more)
───
[1]  psmisc  23.7 *
     Set of small useful utilities that use the proc filesystem (such as fuser, killall and pstree)
     programs fuser  peekfd  pstree.x11  killall  pstree  (+2 more)
     home     https://gitlab.com/psmisc/psmisc
     nix profile install nixpkgs#psmisc
     nix-env -iA nixpkgs.psmisc

channel: unstable | query: 'fuser' | showing 5 of 5 | 38ms

A * after the version indicates an exact program name match. The top result [1] shows the homepage and both install commands.

TUI mode

Launch an interactive full-screen interface:

search-nix -t              # start with empty input
search-nix -t fuser        # start with pre-filled query and immediate search

Keybindings

Key	Action
Type + Enter	Search for the query
j / Down	Move cursor down / next section
k / Up	Move cursor up / prev section
Enter (on result)	Toggle inline detail (programs, homepage, license, install command)
Space	Pin/unpin detail open (stays open when moving cursor)
a	Toggle expand/collapse all details
Left / Right	Switch channel (when channel bar is focused)
c	Jump to channel selector
/ or Tab	Refocus search input
y	Copy package name
e	Copy nix-env install command
p	Copy nix profile install command
r	Open nix-shell with package
o	Open homepage in browser
Esc	Collapse detail / clear input / quit
q	Quit (from results)
?	Toggle help page
Ctrl+C	Quit (always)

Navigation flows vertically through three sections: channel bar → search input → results. Press Up from the first result to focus the search input, and Up again to focus the channel bar where Left/Right switches channels.

Pressing Enter on a result expands its details inline. Space pins a result open so it stays expanded as you navigate. a toggles expand-all mode which persists across searches.

Channel detection

If no channel is specified with -c, search-nix auto-detects from nixos-version. Falls back to unstable if detection fails or the detected channel doesn't have an ES index.

License

MIT