Nix-based development environment shell

Installing

• Install Nix using the multi-user installation. (You can use the single-user installation, but things may not work as expected)
• Enable nix-command and flakes:
  • Open the Nix config:
    • sudo nano /etc/nix/nix.conf
  • Add the following at the bottom of the file:
    • experimental-features = nix-command flakes
• Test your installation by running the Hello World Nix package:
  • Open a new shell;
  • Run the hello world Nix package:
    • nix run 'nixpkgs#hello'
    • You should see Hello, world! printed on your terminal.
• Install devbox.

Running

• Start the development environment:
  • devbox shell
• To exit the devbox shell, terminate it with exit or Ctrl+D.

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Automating

The steps below are optional but can make your life easier.

Starting the shell automatically when navigating into the kie-tools directory

• Install direnv;
• Remember to hook it into your shell;
• Reload your shell (source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.zshrc, for example) or open a new one;
• cd back into the kie-tools directory;
• Run direnv allow to allow direnv to exectue;
• If devbox is not loaded, run cd . to trigger it.

Make VSCode use the devbox shell automatically

• Install the devbox VSCode extension;
• Install the direnv VSCode extension;
• Run the steps above, if not already;
• Open your Devbox project in VSCode. Direnv extension should show a prompt notification to reload your environment.

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Maintaining

Adding new packages

• Search for them in nixhub.io or via devbox search <package_name>;

  Try searching for the package name in search.nixos.org, and then finding the equivalent package in nixhub.io.

• Copy and run the devbox add <package_name>@<version> command.

Upgrading packages

• Run devbox add <package_name>@<new_version> and it should update both devbox.json and devbox.lock.

Learn more about devbox!