---
name: "nix3-shell"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "nix-bin"
version: "2.8.0-1.1+b1"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nix3-shell"
---

# nix3-shell(1)

run a shell in which the specified packages are available

**Warning**: This program is **experimental** and its interface is subject to change.

## Name

`nix shell` - run a shell in which the specified packages are available

## Synopsis

`nix shell` \[*option*…\] *installables*…

## Examples

- •

  Start a shell providing `youtube-dl` from the `nixpkgs` flake:

```
# nix shell nixpkgs#youtube-dl
# youtube-dl --version
2020.11.01.1
```

- •

  Start a shell providing GNU Hello from NixOS 20.03:

```
# nix shell nixpkgs/nixos-20.03#hello
```

- •

  Run GNU Hello:

```
# nix shell nixpkgs#hello -c hello --greeting 'Hi everybody!'
Hi everybody!
```

- •

  Run GNU Hello in a chroot store:

```
# nix shell --store ~/my-nix nixpkgs#hello -c hello
```

- •

  Start a shell providing GNU Hello in a chroot store:

```
# nix shell --store ~/my-nix nixpkgs#hello nixpkgs#bashInteractive -c bash
```

-

  Note that it’s necessary to specify `bash` explicitly because your default shell (e.g. `/bin/bash`) generally will not exist in the chroot.

## Description

`nix shell` runs a command in an environment in which the `$PATH` variable provides the specified *installables*. If no command is specified, it starts the default shell of your user account specified by `$SHELL`.

## Options

- •

  `--command` / `-c` *command* *args*\
   Command and arguments to be executed, defaulting to `$SHELL`

- •

  `--ignore-environment` / `-i`\
   Clear the entire environment (except those specified with `--keep`).

- •

  `--keep` / `-k` *name*\
   Keep the environment variable *name*.

- •

  `--unset` / `-u` *name*\
   Unset the environment variable *name*.

**Common evaluation options:**

- •

  `--arg` *name* *expr*\
   Pass the value *expr* as the argument *name* to Nix functions.

- •

  `--argstr` *name* *string*\
   Pass the string *string* as the argument *name* to Nix functions.

- •

  `--eval-store` *store-url*\
   The Nix store to use for evaluations.

- •

  `--impure`\
   Allow access to mutable paths and repositories.

- •

  `--include` / `-I` *path*\
   Add *path* to the list of locations used to look up `<...>` file names.

- •

  `--override-flake` *original-ref* *resolved-ref*\
   Override the flake registries, redirecting *original-ref* to *resolved-ref*.

**Common flake-related options:**

- •

  `--commit-lock-file`\
   Commit changes to the flake’s lock file.

- •

  `--inputs-from` *flake-url*\
   Use the inputs of the specified flake as registry entries.

- •

  `--no-registries`\
   Don’t allow lookups in the flake registries. This option is deprecated; use `--no-use-registries`.

- •

  `--no-update-lock-file`\
   Do not allow any updates to the flake’s lock file.

- •

  `--no-write-lock-file`\
   Do not write the flake’s newly generated lock file.

- •

  `--override-input` *input-path* *flake-url*\
   Override a specific flake input (e.g. `dwarffs/nixpkgs`). This implies `--no-write-lock-file`.

- •

  `--recreate-lock-file`\
   Recreate the flake’s lock file from scratch.

- •

  `--update-input` *input-path*\
   Update a specific flake input (ignoring its previous entry in the lock file).

**Options that change the interpretation of installables:**

- •

  `--derivation`\
   Operate on the store derivation rather than its outputs.

- •

  `--expr` *expr*\
   Interpret installables as attribute paths relative to the Nix expression *expr*.

- •

  `--file` / `-f` *file*\
   Interpret installables as attribute paths relative to the Nix expression stored in *file*. If *file* is the character -, then a Nix expression will be read from standard input.