Niux

Declarative NixOS/home-manager CLI package manager written in Rust. Tired of editing 'configuration.nix' every time you need a package? Niux lets you manage packages with short commands.

Why Niux?

Working with home-manager and NixOS is powerful, but constantly editing configuration files and running switch can feel tedious.

Niux makes it simple and fast: a lightweight CLI that lets you install, remove, and manage packages declaratively with short, intuitive commands — like apt or pacman, but without breaking Nix's declarative philosophy.

Install with one command (niux -Hi firefox)
Automatically rebuild configs when needed
Update flakes, clean up the system, and more
Built in Rust — fast, reliable, and secure

In short: Niux brings the convenience of traditional package managers to NixOS and home-manager while staying fully declarative.

Features

Fast and lightweight command-line interface
Manage home and system packages declaratively
Built with Rust for performance and reliability
Simple and intuitive command syntax
Supports both standalone and module home-manager
Supports NixOS with and without flakes
Hooks which allow to automate actions
Autocompletion like Pacman and apt

How it works

Niux manages your packages by editing your nix config files directly. If markers a incorrect, Niux will tell you

To use it, you do use default markers or add custom:

home.packages = [
  # niux-home
  firefox
  vim
  # niux-home-end
];

When you run niux -Hi firefox, it inserts the package after the start marker. When you run niux -Hr firefox, it removes it — but only between the markers, so the rest of your config is never touched.

Markers are configurable via your config

Installation

With flakes (standalone home-manager)

Add to your flake.nix inputs:

inputs.niux = {
    url = "github:sayavc/niux";
    inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
};

Pass niux to home-manager via extraSpecialArgs:

outputs = inputs@{ nixpkgs, home-manager, niux, ... }: {
homeConfigurations.youruser = home-manager.lib.homeManagerConfiguration {
    pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.x86_64-linux;
    extraSpecialArgs = { inputs = { inherit niux; }; };
    modules = [ ./home/home.nix ];
   };
};

Then add to your home.nix:

{ inputs, pkgs, ... }: {
    home.packages = [
        inputs.niux.packages.${pkgs.system}.default
    ];
}

Run home-manager switch to apply.

With flakes (module home-manager)

Add to your flake.nix inputs:

inputs.niux = {
    url = "github:sayavc/niux";
    inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
};

Pass niux to home-manager:

outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, home-manager, niux, ... }: {
  nixosConfigurations.yourhostname = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
    system = "x86_64-linux";
    modules = [
      ./configuration.nix
      home-manager.nixosModules.home-manager
      {
        home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true;
        home-manager.useUserPackages = true;
        home-manager.extraSpecialArgs = { inputs = { inherit niux; }; };
        home-manager.users.yourusername = import ./home.nix;
      }
    ];
  };
};

Add to home.nix:

# home.nix
{ inputs, pkgs, ... }: {
  home.packages = [
    inputs.niux.packages.${pkgs.system}.default
  ];
}

Note: Non-flake installation docs coming soon, Contributions welcome!

Configuration

First, generate the default config:

niux --gen-config

Or at a custom path:

niux --config /my/path/niux.kdl
niux --gen-config

and for hooks:

niux --hook-config /my/path/niux.kdl 
niux --gen-config

To display the path:

niux --show-path

Note: use --gen-config after --default-path-config and --default-hook-path-config

Usage

Quick Start

niux -Hi firefox # Install firefox for home niux -Si vim # Install vim for system niux -Hr firefox # Remove firefox from home niux -Hl # List home packages niux -l firefox # Search everywhere niux -U # Update all flakes niux -USHa # Update + rebuild everything

niux -HSa # Rebuild both configs

Installation & Removal

niux -Hi firefox # Install firefox for home niux -Hia firefox # Install and rebuild home niux -Si vim # Install vim for system niux -Sia vim # Install and rebuild system niux -Hi firefox vim # Install multiple packages for home niux -Si firefox vim # Install multiple packages for system

niux -Hr firefox # Remove firefox from home niux -Hra firefox # Remove and rebuild home niux -Sr vim # Remove vim from system niux -Sra vim # Remove and rebuild system niux -Hr firefox vim # Remove multiple from home niux -Sr firefox vim # Remove multiple from system

Listing & Search

niux -l                     # List all packages
niux -Hl                    # List home packages
niux -Sl                    # List system packages
niux -l firefox             # Search everywhere
niux -Hl firefox            # Search in home
niux -Sl firefox            # Search in system
niux -l firefox vim         # Search multiple
niux --search firefox       # Search from nixpkgs

Updates

niux -U                     # Update all flakes
niux -U nixpkgs             # Update specific flake input
niux -HUa                   # Update + rebuild home
niux -SUa                   # Update + rebuild system
niux -USHa                  # Update + rebuild everything
niux -HUa nixpkgs           # Update nixpkgs + rebuild home
niux -SUa nixpkgs           # Update nixpkgs + rebuild system

Build & Apply

niux -Ha                    # Rebuild home config
niux -Sa                    # Rebuild system config
niux -HSa                   # Rebuild both configs

Cleanup

niux --clear                # Run nix-collect-garbage

Hooks

Example:

actions {
    action "post-rebuild"
    run "zsh /etc/niux_post_rebuild.zsh"
}

available actions: install, remove, rebuild, update, list, clear, search

Commands Reference

Flag	Description
`-H` - Home	Target home packages
`-S` - System	Target system packages
`-i` - install	Install packages
`-r` - remove	Remove packages
`-a` - apply(rebuild)	Apply and rebuild configuration
`-l` - list	List or search packages
`-U` - Update	Update flakes
`--gen-config`	Generate default configuration
`--config`	Use custom config path
`--hook-config`	Use custom hook config path
`--show-path`	Get config paths
`--clear`	Run garbage collection
`--search`	Search packages from nixpkgs

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Created by sayavc

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