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