R""( # Examples * Show all packages in the `nixpkgs` flake: ```console # nix search nixpkgs ^ * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.AMB-plugins (0.8.1) A set of ambisonics ladspa plugins * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.ArchiSteamFarm (4.3.1.0) Application with primary purpose of idling Steam cards from multiple accounts simultaneously … ``` * Show packages in the `nixpkgs` flake containing `blender` in its name or description: ```console # nix search nixpkgs blender * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.blender (2.91.0) 3D Creation/Animation/Publishing System ``` * Search for packages underneath the attribute `gnome3` in Nixpkgs: ```console # nix search nixpkgs#gnome3 vala * legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.gnome3.vala (0.48.9) Compiler for GObject type system ``` * Show all packages in the flake in the current directory: ```console # nix search . ^ ``` * Search for Firefox or Chromium: ```console # nix search nixpkgs 'firefox|chromium' ``` * Search for packages containing `git` and either `frontend` or `gui`: ```console # nix search nixpkgs git 'frontend|gui' ``` * Search for packages containing `neovim` but hide ones containing either `gui` or `python`: ```console # nix search nixpkgs neovim --exclude 'python|gui' ``` or ```console # nix search nixpkgs neovim --exclude 'python' --exclude 'gui' ``` # Description `nix search` searches [*installable*](./nix.md#installables) (which can be evaluated, that is, a flake or Nix expression, but not a store path or store derivation path) for packages whose name or description matches all of the regular expressions *regex*. For each matching package, It prints the full attribute name (from the root of the [installable](./nix.md#installables)), the version and the `meta.description` field, highlighting the substrings that were matched by the regular expressions. To show all packages, use the regular expression `^`. In contrast to `.*`, it avoids highlighting the entire name and description of every package. > Note that in this context, `^` is the regex character to match the beginning of a string, *not* the delimiter for > [selecting a derivation output](@docroot@/command-ref/new-cli/nix.md#derivation-output-selection). # Flake output attributes If no flake output attribute is given, `nix search` searches for packages: * Directly underneath `packages.`. * Underneath `legacyPackages.`, recursing into attribute sets that contain an attribute `recurseForDerivations = true`. )""