---
name: "nix-store-export"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "nix-bin"
version: "2.26.3+dfsg-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nix-store-export"
---

# nix-store-export(1)

export store paths to a Nix Archive ⟨@docroot@/store/file-system-object/content-address.md#serial-nix-archive⟩

## Name

`nix-store --export` - export store paths to a Nix Archive ⟨@docroot@/store/file-system-object/content-address.md#serial-nix-archive⟩

### Synopsis

`nix-store` `--export` *paths…*

### Description

The operation `--export` writes a serialisation of the given store objects ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-object⟩ to standard output in a format that can be imported into another Nix store ⟨@docroot@/store/index.md⟩ with `nix-store --import` ⟨./import.md⟩\\c .

**Warning**

This command *does not* produce a closure ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-closure⟩ of the specified store paths. Trying to import a store object that refers to store paths not available in the target Nix store will fail.

Use `nix-store --query` ⟨@docroot@/command-ref/nix-store/query.md⟩ to obtain the closure of a store path.

This command is different from `nix-store --dump` ⟨./dump.md⟩\\c , which produces a Nix archive ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-nar⟩ that *does not* contain the set of references ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-reference⟩ of a given store path.

**Note**

For efficient transfer of closures to remote machines over SSH, use `nix-copy-closure` ⟨@docroot@/command-ref/nix-copy-closure.md⟩\\c .

{{#include ./opt-common.md}}

{{#include ../opt-common.md}}

{{#include ../env-common.md}}

## Examples

**Example**

Deploy GNU Hello to an airgapped machine via USB stick.

Write the closure to the block device on a machine with internet connection:

```
[alice@itchy]$ storePath=$(nix-build '<nixpkgs>' -I nixpkgs=channel:nixpkgs-unstable -A hello --no-out-link)
[alice@itchy]$ nix-store --export $(nix-store --query --requisites $storePath) | sudo dd of=/dev/usb
```

Read the closure from the block device on the machine without internet connection:

```
[bob@scratchy]$ hello=$(sudo dd if=/dev/usb | nix-store --import | tail -1)
[bob@scratchy]$ $hello/bin/hello
Hello, world!
```