nix-profile

Manage user environment package installations and upgrades

TLDR

Install some packages from nixpkgs into the default profile

$ nix profile install [nixpkgs#pkg1 nixpkgs#pkg2 ...]

Install a package from a flake on GitHub into a custom profile

$ nix profile install [github:owner/repo/pkg] --profile [./path/to/directory]

List packages currently installed in the default profile

$ nix profile list

Remove a package installed from nixpkgs from the default profile, by name

$ nix profile remove [legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.pkg]

Upgrade packages in the default to the latest available versions

$ nix profile upgrade

Rollback (cancel) the latest action on the default profile

$ nix profile rollback

SYNOPSIS

install
    Install a package into the profile.

remove
    Remove a package from the profile.

upgrade
    Upgrade a package in the profile.

switch
    Switch to a specific profile generation.

diff
    Show the differences between two profile generations.

merge
    Merge two profiles.

rebuild
    Rebuild the profile to incorporate changes.

generate
    Generate a new profile from a description.

list
    List the contents of the profile.

find
    Find packages within a profile.

show
    Show information about a specific package in the profile.

history
    Show the history of profile generations.

--profile path
    Specify a custom profile path (default: ~/.nix-profile).

--file file
    Specify a Nix expression file to install.

DESCRIPTION

The `nix-profile` command manages user environment profiles in Nix. A profile is a symlink farm located in `~/.nix-profile` (by default). It points to the packages you have installed, making them available in your shell. `nix-profile` allows you to install, uninstall, and upgrade packages within a profile without affecting the system globally.

Profiles are immutable once created. When you 'install' something, a new profile is created and atomically activated, ensuring a consistent environment. `nix-profile` is a user-specific command, meaning changes only impact the user running it. It simplifies managing dependencies and versions for different projects, offering reproducible and isolated environments.

CAVEATS

The environment variables set by the profile (e.g., PATH) might not take effect immediately in existing shell sessions. You may need to open a new terminal or source the profile's shell script to refresh them. `nix-profile` relies on the Nix store for package management and garbage collection.

PROFILE GENERATIONS

Each time you install, remove, or upgrade packages with `nix-profile`, a new profile generation is created. You can switch between these generations using the `nix-profile switch` command, allowing you to revert to previous states if necessary.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

To ensure packages installed via `nix-profile` are accessible, environment variables like PATH are modified. You can source the profile's shell script (e.g., `~/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh`) to update your current shell's environment.

HISTORY

The `nix-profile` command is a core component of the Nix package manager. It was designed to provide a user-friendly interface for managing software installations and dependencies in an isolated and reproducible manner. It evolved alongside Nix itself, addressing the need for per-user environment management.