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Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

nixhub.io

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Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#11

I've never used nixos so excuse this question: What is the difference between nixhub and the package search on https://search.nixos.org/packages ?

From a short look I see it uses devbox in the install instructions as opposed to nix-shell

Probably a polished design to promote devbox

Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#13

I've never used nixos so excuse this question: What is the difference between nixhub and the package search on https://search.nixos.org/packages ?

https://search.nixos.org/packages only shows packages that are available on the latest stable and unstable releases of Nixpkgs. The means they only have a limited number of versions for a given package available. For example, Python on unstable only has 5 versions to choose from:

  - 2.7.18
  - 3.9.17
  - 3.8.17 
  - 3.11.4
  - 3.12.0b3
If you need something different, you need to find a specific commit of the NixOS/nixpkgs repo that has that version. This information is not indexed or searchable on the official package search. Nixhub.io provides an index of these older released commits, so you can find and install versions that aren't available in the latest Nix releases.

If you visit https://www.nixhub.io/packages/python, you can see we have a lot more versions available. Developers can use the Nix or Devbox references on that page to install the version they need.

Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#14

I've never used nixos so excuse this question: What is the difference between nixhub and the package search on https://search.nixos.org/packages ?

From a short look I see it uses devbox in the install instructions as opposed to nix-shell Probably a polished design to promote devbox

nixhub has the historical versions of a package, which you cannot get via nixos.org.

Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#15

I am currently using asdf, is there anything Nix does better than asdf?

Nix is a much more general purpose tool than asdf.

Nix can also be used to build Docker images, VM images, or configure a NixOS system. Nix's packages can also be run without being installed.

Specifically for setting up a development environment? As sibling pointed out, nix shells can provide native libraries.

With nix shell, it's also possible to have the shell be strictly 'pure', in that the shell's environment will only be what's declared in the Nix shell. Having that ensures that you're not relying on environment variables you set elsewhere, or stuff you installed elsewhere.

Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#16
post #13

I've never used nixos so excuse this question: What is the difference between nixhub and the package search on https://search.nixos.org/packages ?

https://search.nixos.org/packages only shows packages that are available on the latest stable and unstable releases of Nixpkgs. The means they only have a limited number of versions for a given package available. For example, Python on unstable only has 5 versions to choose from: - 2.7.18 - 3.9.17 - 3.8.17 - 3.11.4 - 3.12.0b3 If you need something different, you need to find a specific commit of the NixOS/nixpkgs rep…

Why is it necessary to have two platforms then? https://search.nixos.org/packages could just add older packages as well, right?

Re: Show HN: Nixhub.io – Find Specific Versions of Nix Packages

#17
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://search.nixos.org/packages only shows packages that are available on the latest stable and unstable releases of Nixpkgs. The means they only have a limited number of versions for a given package available. For example, Python on unstable only has 5 versions to choose from: - 2.7.18 - 3.9.17 - 3.8.17 - 3.11.4 - 3.12.0b3 If you need something different, you need to find a specific commit of the NixOS/nixpkgs rep…

Why is it necessary to have two platforms then? https://search.nixos.org/packages could just add older packages as well, right?

I suppose they could, but for various reasons they haven’t.

We originally built this for Devbox users because it was a common request, and realized that it could help Nix users as well.

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