---
name: "nix-store-query"
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-query"
---

# nix-store-query(1)

display information about store paths

## Name

`nix-store --query` - display information about store paths

## Synopsis

`nix-store` {`--query` \| `-q`} {`--outputs` \| `--requisites` \| `-R` \| `--references` \| `--referrers` \| `--referrers-closure` \| `--deriver` \| `-d` \| `--valid-derivers` \| `--graph` \| `--tree` \| `--binding` *name* \| `-b` *name* \| `--hash` \| `--size` \| `--roots`} \[`--use-output`\] \[`-u`\] \[`--force-realise`\] \[`-f`\] *paths…*

## Description

The operation `--query` displays various bits of information about the store paths . The queries are described below. At most one query can be specified. The default query is `--outputs`.

The paths *paths* may also be symlinks from outside of the Nix store, to the Nix store. In that case, the query is applied to the target of the symlink.

## Common query options

- •

  `--use-output` / `-u`

-

  For each argument to the query that is a store derivation ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-derivation⟩\\c , apply the query to the output path of the derivation instead.

- •

  `--force-realise` / `-f`

-

  Realise each argument to the query first (see `nix-store --realise` ⟨./realise.md⟩\\c ).

## Queries

- •

  `--outputs`

-

  Prints out the output paths ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-output-path⟩ of the store derivations *paths*. These are the paths that will be produced when the derivation is built.

- •

  `--requisites` / `-R`

-

  Prints out the closure ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-closure⟩ of the store path *paths*.

-

  This query has one option:

  - •

    `--include-outputs` Also include the existing output paths of store derivation ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-derivation⟩\\c s, and their closures.

-

  This query can be used to implement various kinds of deployment. A *source deployment* is obtained by distributing the closure of a store derivation. A *binary deployment* is obtained by distributing the closure of an output path. A *cache deployment* (combined source/binary deployment, including binaries of build-time-only dependencies) is obtained by distributing the closure of a store derivation and specifying the option `--include-outputs`.

- •

  `--references`

-

  Prints the set of references ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-reference⟩ of the store paths *paths*, that is, their immediate dependencies. (For *all* dependencies, use `--requisites`.)

- •

  `--referrers`

-

  Prints the set of *referrers* of the store paths *paths*, that is, the store paths currently existing in the Nix store that refer to one of *paths*. Note that contrary to the references, the set of referrers is not constant; it can change as store paths are added or removed.

- •

  `--referrers-closure`

-

  Prints the closure of the set of store paths *paths* under the referrers relation; that is, all store paths that directly or indirectly refer to one of *paths*. These are all the path currently in the Nix store that are dependent on *paths*.

- •

  `--deriver` / `-d`

-

  Prints the deriver ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-deriver⟩ that was used to build the store paths *paths*. If the path has no deriver (e.g., if it is a source file), or if the deriver is not known (e.g., in the case of a binary-only deployment), the string `unknown-deriver` is printed. The returned deriver is not guaranteed to exist in the local store, for example when *paths* were substituted from a binary cache. Use `--valid-derivers` instead to obtain valid paths only.

- •

  `--valid-derivers`

-

  Prints a set of derivation files (`.drv`) which are supposed produce said paths when realized. Might print nothing, for example for source paths or paths substituted from a binary cache.

- •

  `--graph`

-

  Prints the references graph of the store paths *paths* in the format of the `dot` tool of AT&T's Graphviz package ⟨http://www.graphviz.org/⟩\\c . This can be used to visualise dependency graphs. To obtain a build-time dependency graph, apply this to a store derivation. To obtain a runtime dependency graph, apply it to an output path.

- •

  `--tree`

-

  Prints the references graph of the store paths *paths* as a nested ASCII tree. References are ordered by descending closure size; this tends to flatten the tree, making it more readable. The query only recurses into a store path when it is first encountered; this prevents a blowup of the tree representation of the graph.

- •

  `--graphml`

-

  Prints the references graph of the store paths *paths* in the GraphML ⟨http://graphml.graphdrawing.org/⟩ file format. This can be used to visualise dependency graphs. To obtain a build-time dependency graph, apply this to a store derivation ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-derivation⟩\\c . To obtain a runtime dependency graph, apply it to an output path.

- •

  `--binding` *name* / `-b` *name*

-

  Prints the value of the attribute *name* (i.e., environment variable) of the store derivation ⟨@docroot@/glossary.md#gloss-store-derivation⟩\\c s *paths*. It is an error for a derivation to not have the specified attribute.

- •

  `--hash`

-

  Prints the SHA-256 hash of the contents of the store paths *paths* (that is, the hash of the output of `nix-store --dump` on the given paths). Since the hash is stored in the Nix database, this is a fast operation.

- •

  `--size`

-

  Prints the size in bytes of the contents of the store paths *paths* — to be precise, the size of the output of `nix-store --dump` on the given paths. Note that the actual disk space required by the store paths may be higher, especially on filesystems with large cluster sizes.

- •

  `--roots`

-

  Prints the garbage collector roots that point, directly or indirectly, at the store paths *paths*.

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

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

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

## Examples

Print the closure (runtime dependencies) of the `svn` program in the current user environment:

```
$ nix-store --query --requisites $(which svn)
/nix/store/5mbglq5ldqld8sj57273aljwkfvj22mc-subversion-1.1.4
/nix/store/9lz9yc6zgmc0vlqmn2ipcpkjlmbi51vv-glibc-2.3.4
...
```

Print the build-time dependencies of `svn`:

```
$ nix-store --query --requisites $(nix-store --query --deriver $(which svn))
/nix/store/02iizgn86m42q905rddvg4ja975bk2i4-grep-2.5.1.tar.bz2.drv
/nix/store/07a2bzxmzwz5hp58nf03pahrv2ygwgs3-gcc-wrapper.sh
/nix/store/0ma7c9wsbaxahwwl04gbw3fcd806ski4-glibc-2.3.4.drv
... lots of other paths ...
```

The difference with the previous example is that we ask the closure of the derivation (`-qd`), not the closure of the output path that contains `svn`.

Show the build-time dependencies as a tree:

```
$ nix-store --query --tree $(nix-store --query --deriver $(which svn))
/nix/store/7i5082kfb6yjbqdbiwdhhza0am2xvh6c-subversion-1.1.4.drv
+---/nix/store/d8afh10z72n8l1cr5w42366abiblgn54-builder.sh
+---/nix/store/fmzxmpjx2lh849ph0l36snfj9zdibw67-bash-3.0.drv
|   +---/nix/store/570hmhmx3v57605cqg9yfvvyh0nnb8k8-bash
|   +---/nix/store/p3srsbd8dx44v2pg6nbnszab5mcwx03v-builder.sh
...
```

Show all paths that depend on the same OpenSSL library as `svn`:

```
$ nix-store --query --referrers $(nix-store --query --binding openssl $(nix-store --query --deriver $(which svn)))
/nix/store/23ny9l9wixx21632y2wi4p585qhva1q8-sylpheed-1.0.0
/nix/store/5mbglq5ldqld8sj57273aljwkfvj22mc-subversion-1.1.4
/nix/store/dpmvp969yhdqs7lm2r1a3gng7pyq6vy4-subversion-1.1.3
/nix/store/l51240xqsgg8a7yrbqdx1rfzyv6l26fx-lynx-2.8.5
```

Show all paths that directly or indirectly depend on the Glibc (C library) used by `svn`:

```
$ nix-store --query --referrers-closure $(ldd $(which svn) | grep /libc.so | awk '{print $3}')
/nix/store/034a6h4vpz9kds5r6kzb9lhh81mscw43-libgnomeprintui-2.8.2
/nix/store/15l3yi0d45prm7a82pcrknxdh6nzmxza-gawk-3.1.4
...
```

Note that `ldd` is a command that prints out the dynamic libraries used by an ELF executable.

Make a picture of the runtime dependency graph of the current user environment:

```
$ nix-store --query --graph ~/.nix-profile | dot -Tps > graph.ps
$ gv graph.ps
```

Show every garbage collector root that points to a store path that depends on `svn`:

```
$ nix-store --query --roots $(which svn)
/nix/var/nix/profiles/default-81-link
/nix/var/nix/profiles/default-82-link
/home/eelco/.local/state/nix/profiles/profile-97-link
```