This chapter is for impatient people who don't like reading documentation. For more in-depth information you are kindly referred to subsequent chapters.
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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.
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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
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Search for more packages on search.nixos.org to try them out.
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Free up storage space:
$ nix-collect-garbage