Install a package, but only specific binaries

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1

Let say I install git with nix-env

Screen Shot 2022-04-24 at 6.15.19 PM
Screen Shot 2022-04-24 at 6.15.19 PM2286×568 335 KB

Is there an elegant way to say “I only want the git binary”? Or should I start working on a tool that does it

2

You could create a derivation which only symblinks git to $out/bin/git, then install that “wrapper” derivation, this way nix-env would install only the git binary

Take into account that you would still have all the binaries in your /nix/store, but not in your profile as you asked

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3

Thanks. And yeah, I actually definitely want all them in /nix/store, just not in my path.

Maybe I’ll attempt an automated version of what you mentioned.

I’ve had a few times with nix-shell where package A’s secondary binary (like the pwsh in this git) overrides the primary binary for package B that I explicitly added. Causes all types of horrible mismatches.

4

nixpkgs.linkFarm is all you need then:

nixpkgs.linkFarm "mygit" [
  {
    name = "bin/git"; 
    path = nixpkgs.git;
  }
]
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