missing-tools

name	missing-tools
description	Resolves missing CLI tools. Use when a command is unavailable, a shell reports command not found, or a tool must be run without installing it globally.

Missing Tools

Use this workflow when a command is unavailable in the current shell.

Priority Order

1. Try the current project's direnv environment:

   direnv exec . <command>
   

2. Use comma for tools from nixpkgs:

   , <command>
   

   When comma may fetch from GitHub, also use the nix-github-rate-limit skill.

3. Use nix run when a specific nixpkgs package is needed:

   nix run nixpkgs#<package> -- <args>
   

   When the command may fetch from GitHub, also use the nix-github-rate-limit skill.

4. Use nix shell as the last resort:

   nix shell nixpkgs#<package> --command <command>
   

   When the command may fetch from GitHub, also use the nix-github-rate-limit skill.

Notes

• Never install missing tools globally. Do not use commands such as npm install -g, npm i -g, pnpm add -g, yarn global add, bun add -g, uv tool install, brew install, or language-specific global installers to resolve a missing command.

• Prefer direnv exec . first because project-local dev shells often already provide the right tool version and environment variables.

• Comma automatically finds and runs the nixpkgs package containing the requested command.

• Use a Zsh login shell for normal agent commands because the dotfiles-managed Zsh environment loads direnv without requiring Fish syntax:

  zsh -lc '<simple command>'
  

• Some user tools are only on Fish's PATH. If Zsh cannot find a command, resolve its absolute path through Fish and invoke that path from Zsh:

  fish -lc 'command -v <tool>'
  

• Use fish -lc '<simple command>' directly only when the command has no shell-specific syntax. Use Bash explicitly for Bash-specific syntax or a script with the appropriate shebang for complex commands.