| name | nix-mcp |
| description | Query Nix packages, NixOS options, Home Manager options, and Nix ecosystem resources. Use this skill whenever you need to look up Nix packages, verify configuration options, or check Nix syntax. |
When to use
Use this skill whenever you need to:
- Look up Nix packages (search packages by name or description)
- Get detailed information about a specific package
- Verify NixOS configuration options and their valid values
- Verify Home Manager options and their valid values
- Check Darwin (nix-darwin) options
- Query Nixvim options
- Look up FlakeHub packages
- Search Noogle (Nix function documentation)
- Browse NixHub package versions
- Check NixOS Wiki or nix.dev documentation
- Inspect flake inputs
- Check binary cache availability
How to query
Use the nix_nix tool with the appropriate action and source parameters.
Available actions
| Action | Description | Best for |
|---|
search | Search for packages/options | Finding packages by keyword |
info | Get detailed info about a specific item | Package details, option docs |
stats | Get statistics about a source | Overview of available data |
options | List or search options (Home Manager/Darwin/nixvim only) | Config validation |
channels | List available channels | Finding channel names |
flake-inputs | Read flake.lock or specific inputs | Dependency inspection |
cache | Check binary cache for packages | Verifying cache availability |
Available sources
| Source | What it covers | Actions supported |
|---|
nixos | NixOS packages and options | search, info, stats, channels |
home-manager | Home Manager packages and options | search, info, stats, options, channels |
darwin | nix-darwin options | options |
flakes | Nix flakes ecosystem | info |
flakehub | FlakeHub packages | search, info, stats |
nixvim | Nixvim options | options |
wiki | NixOS Wiki | search, info |
nix-dev | nix.dev documentation | search, info |
noogle | Nix function documentation (Noogle) | search, info |
nixhub | NixHub package versions | search, info |
Common parameters
| Parameter | Description | Example |
|---|
query | Search term, package name, or option path | "git", "services.nginx" |
action | The action to perform (see table above) | "search", "options" |
source | Which source to query (see table above) | "nixos", "home-manager" |
type | For nixos/home-manager: packages, options, programs | "packages" |
channel | Channel to use (unstable or stable) | "unstable" |
limit | Max results to return (1-100, default 20) | 50 |
Example queries
Search for packages
nix_nix:0 {"action": "search", "source": "nixos", "query": "neovim", "limit": 10}
Get package info
nix_nix:1 {"action": "info", "source": "nixos", "query": "git"}
Search Home Manager options
nix_nix:2 {"action": "options", "source": "home-manager", "query": "programs.git"}
Check NixOS options
nix_nix:3 {"action": "info", "source": "nixos", "type": "options", "query": "services.nginx.enable"}
List nixvim options
nix_nix:4 {"action": "options", "source": "nixvim", "query": "plugins"}
Search Noogle for Nix functions
nix_nix:5 {"action": "search", "source": "noogle", "query": "mapAttrs"}
Check FlakeHub
nix_nix:6 {"action": "search", "source": "flakehub", "query": "home-manager"}
Read flake inputs
nix_nix:7 {"action": "flake-inputs", "query": "nixpkgs"}
Check binary cache
nix_nix:8 {"action": "cache", "query": "hello", "system": "x86_64-linux"}
Package version history
To check version history of a specific package, use nix_nix_versions:
nix_nix_versions:9 {"package": "nodejs", "limit": 10}
This returns available versions from NixHub.io.
Key things to know
Option browsing limitations
The options action is only available for:
home-managerdarwin (nix-darwin)nixvim
For NixOS options, use action: "info" with type: "options" instead.
Channel selection
- Use
channel: "unstable" for the latest packages (default)
- Use
channel: "stable" or channel: "25.05" for stable releases
- Some sources (like
nixvim, noogle) don't use channels
Result interpretation
Search results typically include:
- Package name - The attribute path (e.g.,
nixpkgs.git)
- Version - Package version
- Description - Brief description
- License - License information
- Homepage - Project URL
Option results include:
- Option path - Full option name
- Type - Option type (bool, string, int, etc.)
- Default - Default value
- Description - Full documentation
Common patterns
Verifying a configuration option exists:
action: "options", source: "home-manager", query: "programs.kitty.settings"
Finding packages by function:
action: "search", source: "nixos", query: "pdf", type: "packages"
Checking if an option is valid in Home Manager:
action: "options", source: "home-manager", query: "nix.gc"
Troubleshooting
"No options found" for NixOS:
Use action: "info" instead of action: "options" for NixOS.
Empty results:
Try broadening your query or using a different source.
Package not found:
The package might be in a different channel or named differently. Try searching with partial names.
