dedent common options listing; one sentence per line

this is a pure reformatting, contents were not changed

one sentence per line makes reviewing diffs and making suggestions much
more convenient. the indentation was an artifat of the DocBook
migration.
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Valentin Gagarin 2023-09-06 09:49:00 +02:00
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Most Nix commands accept the following command-line options:
- <span id="opt-help">[`--help`](#opt-help)</span>\
Prints out a summary of the command syntax and exits.
- <span id="opt-help">[`--help`](#opt-help)</span>
- <span id="opt-version">[`--version`](#opt-version)</span>\
Prints out the Nix version number on standard output and exits.
Prints out a summary of the command syntax and exits.
- <span id="opt-verbose">[`--verbose`](#opt-verbose)</span> / `-v`\
Increases the level of verbosity of diagnostic messages printed on
standard error. For each Nix operation, the information printed on
standard output is well-defined; any diagnostic information is
printed on standard error, never on standard output.
- <span id="opt-version">[`--version`](#opt-version)</span>
This option may be specified repeatedly. Currently, the following
verbosity levels exist:
Prints out the Nix version number on standard output and exits.
- 0\
“Errors only”: only print messages explaining why the Nix
invocation failed.
- <span id="opt-verbose">[`--verbose`](#opt-verbose)</span> / `-v`
- 1\
“Informational”: print *useful* messages about what Nix is
doing. This is the default.
Increases the level of verbosity of diagnostic messages printed on standard error.
For each Nix operation, the information printed on standard output is well-defined;
any diagnostic information is printed on standard error, never on standard output.
- 2\
“Talkative”: print more informational messages.
This option may be specified repeatedly.
Currently, the following verbosity levels exist:
- 3\
“Chatty”: print even more informational messages.
- `0` “Errors only”
- 4\
“Debug”: print debug information.
Only print messages explaining why the Nix invocation failed.
- 5\
“Vomit”: print vast amounts of debug information.
- `1` “Informational”
- <span id="opt-quiet">[`--quiet`](#opt-quiet)</span>\
Decreases the level of verbosity of diagnostic messages printed on
standard error. This is the inverse option to `-v` / `--verbose`.
Print *useful* messages about what Nix is doing.
This is the default.
This option may be specified repeatedly. See the previous verbosity
levels list.
- `2` “Talkative”
- <span id="opt-log-format">[`--log-format`](#opt-log-format)</span> *format*\
This option can be used to change the output of the log format, with
*format* being one of:
Print more informational messages.
- raw\
This is the raw format, as outputted by nix-build.
- `3` “Chatty”
- internal-json\
Outputs the logs in a structured manner.
Print even more informational messages.
> **Warning**
>
> While the schema itself is relatively stable, the format of
> the error-messages (namely of the `msg`-field) can change
> between releases.
- `4` “Debug”
- bar\
Only display a progress bar during the builds.
Print debug information.
- bar-with-logs\
Display the raw logs, with the progress bar at the bottom.
- `5` “Vomit”
- <span id="opt-no-build-output">[`--no-build-output`](#opt-no-build-output)</span> / `-Q`\
By default, output written by builders to standard output and
standard error is echoed to the Nix command's standard error. This
option suppresses this behaviour. Note that the builder's standard
output and error are always written to a log file in
`prefix/nix/var/log/nix`.
Print vast amounts of debug information.
- <span id="opt-max-jobs">[`--max-jobs`](#opt-max-jobs)</span> / `-j` *number*\
Sets the maximum number of build jobs that Nix will perform in
parallel to the specified number. Specify `auto` to use the number
of CPUs in the system. The default is specified by the `max-jobs`
configuration setting, which itself defaults to `1`. A higher
value is useful on SMP systems or to exploit I/O latency.
- <span id="opt-quiet">[`--quiet`](#opt-quiet)</span>
Setting it to `0` disallows building on the local machine, which is
useful when you want builds to happen only on remote builders.
Decreases the level of verbosity of diagnostic messages printed on standard error.
This is the inverse option to `-v` / `--verbose`.
- <span id="opt-cores">[`--cores`](#opt-cores)</span>\
Sets the value of the `NIX_BUILD_CORES` environment variable in
the invocation of builders. Builders can use this variable at
their discretion to control the maximum amount of parallelism. For
instance, in Nixpkgs, if the derivation attribute
`enableParallelBuilding` is set to `true`, the builder passes the
`-jN` flag to GNU Make. It defaults to the value of the `cores`
configuration setting, if set, or `1` otherwise. The value `0`
means that the builder should use all available CPU cores in the
system.
This option may be specified repeatedly.
See the previous verbosity levels list.
- <span id="opt-max-silent-time">[`--max-silent-time`](#opt-max-silent-time)</span>\
Sets the maximum number of seconds that a builder can go without
producing any data on standard output or standard error. The
default is specified by the `max-silent-time` configuration
setting. `0` means no time-out.
- <span id="opt-log-format">[`--log-format`](#opt-log-format)</span> *format*
- <span id="opt-timeout">[`--timeout`](#opt-timeout)</span>\
Sets the maximum number of seconds that a builder can run. The
default is specified by the `timeout` configuration setting. `0`
means no timeout.
This option can be used to change the output of the log format, with *format* being one of:
- <span id="opt-keep-going">[`--keep-going`](#opt-keep-going)</span> / `-k`\
Keep going in case of failed builds, to the greatest extent
possible. That is, if building an input of some derivation fails,
Nix will still build the other inputs, but not the derivation
itself. Without this option, Nix stops if any build fails (except
for builds of substitutes), possibly killing builds in progress (in
case of parallel or distributed builds).
- `raw`
- <span id="opt-keep-failed">[`--keep-failed`](#opt-keep-failed)</span> / `-K`\
Specifies that in case of a build failure, the temporary directory
(usually in `/tmp`) in which the build takes place should not be
deleted. The path of the build directory is printed as an
informational message.
This is the raw format, as outputted by nix-build.
- <span id="opt-fallback">[`--fallback`](#opt-fallback)</span>\
Whenever Nix attempts to build a derivation for which substitutes
are known for each output path, but realising the output paths
through the substitutes fails, fall back on building the derivation.
- `internal-json`
The most common scenario in which this is useful is when we have
registered substitutes in order to perform binary distribution from,
say, a network repository. If the repository is down, the
realisation of the derivation will fail. When this option is
specified, Nix will build the derivation instead. Thus, installation
from binaries falls back on installation from source. This option is
not the default since it is generally not desirable for a transient
failure in obtaining the substitutes to lead to a full build from
source (with the related consumption of resources).
Outputs the logs in a structured manner.
- <span id="opt-readonly-mode">[`--readonly-mode`](#opt-readonly-mode)</span>\
When this option is used, no attempt is made to open the Nix
database. Most Nix operations do need database access, so those
operations will fail.
> **Warning**
>
> While the schema itself is relatively stable, the format of
> the error-messages (namely of the `msg`-field) can change
> between releases.
- <span id="opt-arg">[`--arg`](#opt-arg)</span> *name* *value*\
This option is accepted by `nix-env`, `nix-instantiate`,
`nix-shell` and `nix-build`. When evaluating Nix expressions, the
expression evaluator will automatically try to call functions that
it encounters. It can automatically call functions for which every
argument has a [default
value](@docroot@/language/constructs.md#functions) (e.g.,
`{ argName ? defaultValue }: ...`). With `--arg`, you can also
call functions that have arguments without a default value (or
override a default value). That is, if the evaluator encounters a
function with an argument named *name*, it will call it with value
*value*.
- `bar`
For instance, the top-level `default.nix` in Nixpkgs is actually a
function:
Only display a progress bar during the builds.
```nix
{ # The system (e.g., `i686-linux') for which to build the packages.
system ? builtins.currentSystem
...
}: ...
```
- `bar-with-logs`
So if you call this Nix expression (e.g., when you do `nix-env --install --attr
pkgname`), the function will be called automatically using the
value [`builtins.currentSystem`](@docroot@/language/builtins.md) for
the `system` argument. You can override this using `--arg`, e.g.,
`nix-env --install --attr pkgname --arg system \"i686-freebsd\"`. (Note that
since the argument is a Nix string literal, you have to escape the
quotes.)
Display the raw logs, with the progress bar at the bottom.
- <span id="opt-argstr">[`--argstr`](#opt-argstr)</span> *name* *value*\
This option is like `--arg`, only the value is not a Nix
expression but a string. So instead of `--arg system
\"i686-linux\"` (the outer quotes are to keep the shell happy) you
can say `--argstr system i686-linux`.
- <span id="opt-no-build-output">[`--no-build-output`](#opt-no-build-output)</span> / `-Q`
- <span id="opt-attr">[`--attr`](#opt-attr)</span> / `-A` *attrPath*\
Select an attribute from the top-level Nix expression being
evaluated. (`nix-env`, `nix-instantiate`, `nix-build` and
`nix-shell` only.) The *attribute path* *attrPath* is a sequence
of attribute names separated by dots. For instance, given a
top-level Nix expression *e*, the attribute path `xorg.xorgserver`
would cause the expression `e.xorg.xorgserver` to be used. See
[`nix-env --install`](@docroot@/command-ref/nix-env/install.md) for some
concrete examples.
By default, output written by builders to standard output and standard error is echoed to the Nix command's standard error.
This option suppresses this behaviour.
Note that the builder's standard output and error are always written to a log file in `prefix/nix/var/log/nix`.
In addition to attribute names, you can also specify array indices.
For instance, the attribute path `foo.3.bar` selects the `bar`
attribute of the fourth element of the array in the `foo` attribute
of the top-level expression.
- <span id="opt-max-jobs">[`--max-jobs`](#opt-max-jobs)</span> / `-j` *number*
- <span id="opt-expr">[`--expr`](#opt-expr)</span> / `-E`\
Interpret the command line arguments as a list of Nix expressions to
be parsed and evaluated, rather than as a list of file names of Nix
expressions. (`nix-instantiate`, `nix-build` and `nix-shell` only.)
Sets the maximum number of build jobs that Nix will perform in parallel to the specified number.
Specify `auto` to use the number of CPUs in the system.
The default is specified by the `max-jobs` configuration setting, which itself defaults to `1`.
A higher value is useful on SMP systems or to exploit I/O latency.
For `nix-shell`, this option is commonly used to give you a shell in
which you can build the packages returned by the expression. If you
want to get a shell which contain the *built* packages ready for
use, give your expression to the `nix-shell --packages ` convenience flag
instead.
Setting it to `0` disallows building on the local machine, which is useful when you want builds to happen only on remote builders.
- <span id="opt-I">[`-I`](#opt-I)</span> *path*\
Add an entry to the [Nix expression search path](@docroot@/command-ref/conf-file.md#conf-nix-path).
This option may be given multiple times.
Paths added through `-I` take precedence over [`NIX_PATH`](@docroot@/command-ref/env-common.md#env-NIX_PATH).
- <span id="opt-cores">[`--cores`](#opt-cores)</span>
- <span id="opt-option">[`--option`](#opt-option)</span> *name* *value*\
Set the Nix configuration option *name* to *value*. This overrides
settings in the Nix configuration file (see nix.conf5).
Sets the value of the `NIX_BUILD_CORES` environment variable in the invocation of builders.
Builders can use this variable at their discretion to control the maximum amount of parallelism.
For instance, in Nixpkgs, if the derivation attribute `enableParallelBuilding` is set to `true`, the builder passes the `-jN` flag to GNU Make.
It defaults to the value of the `cores` configuration setting, if set, or `1` otherwise.
The value `0` means that the builder should use all available CPU cores in the system.
- <span id="opt-repair">[`--repair`](#opt-repair)</span>\
Fix corrupted or missing store paths by redownloading or rebuilding
them. Note that this is slow because it requires computing a
cryptographic hash of the contents of every path in the closure of
the build. Also note the warning under `nix-store --repair-path`.
- <span id="opt-max-silent-time">[`--max-silent-time`](#opt-max-silent-time)</span>
Sets the maximum number of seconds that a builder can go without producing any data on standard output or standard error.
The default is specified by the `max-silent-time` configuration setting.
`0` means no time-out.
- <span id="opt-timeout">[`--timeout`](#opt-timeout)</span>
Sets the maximum number of seconds that a builder can run.
The default is specified by the `timeout` configuration setting.
`0` means no timeout.
- <span id="opt-keep-going">[`--keep-going`](#opt-keep-going)</span> / `-k`
Keep going in case of failed builds, to the greatest extent possible.
That is, if building an input of some derivation fails, Nix will still build the other inputs, but not the derivation itself.
Without this option, Nix stops if any build fails (except for builds of substitutes), possibly killing builds in progress (in case of parallel or distributed builds).
- <span id="opt-keep-failed">[`--keep-failed`](#opt-keep-failed)</span> / `-K`
Specifies that in case of a build failure, the temporary directory (usually in `/tmp`) in which the build takes place should not be deleted.
The path of the build directory is printed as an informational message.
- <span id="opt-fallback">[`--fallback`](#opt-fallback)</span>
Whenever Nix attempts to build a derivation for which substitutes are known for each output path, but realising the output paths through the substitutes fails, fall back on building the derivation.
The most common scenario in which this is useful is when we have registered substitutes in order to perform binary distribution from, say, a network repository.
If the repository is down, the realisation of the derivation will fail.
When this option is specified, Nix will build the derivation instead.
Thus, installation from binaries falls back on installation from source.
This option is not the default since it is generally not desirable for a transient failure in obtaining the substitutes to lead to a full build from source (with the related consumption of resources).
- <span id="opt-readonly-mode">[`--readonly-mode`](#opt-readonly-mode)</span>
When this option is used, no attempt is made to open the Nix database.
Most Nix operations do need database access, so those operations will fail.
- <span id="opt-arg">[`--arg`](#opt-arg)</span> *name* *value*
This option is accepted by `nix-env`, `nix-instantiate`, `nix-shell` and `nix-build`.
When evaluating Nix expressions, the expression evaluator will automatically try to call functions that it encounters.
It can automatically call functions for which every argument has a [default value](@docroot@/language/constructs.md#functions) (e.g., `{ argName ? defaultValue }: ...`).
With `--arg`, you can also call functions that have arguments without a default value (or override a default value).
That is, if the evaluator encounters a function with an argument named *name*, it will call it with value *value*.
For instance, the top-level `default.nix` in Nixpkgs is actually a function:
```nix
{ # The system (e.g., `i686-linux') for which to build the packages.
system ? builtins.currentSystem
...
}: ...
```
So if you call this Nix expression (e.g., when you do `nix-env --install --attr pkgname`), the function will be called automatically using the value [`builtins.currentSystem`](@docroot@/language/builtins.md) for the `system` argument.
You can override this using `--arg`, e.g., `nix-env --install --attr pkgname --arg system \"i686-freebsd\"`.
(Note that since the argument is a Nix string literal, you have to escape the quotes.)
- <span id="opt-argstr">[`--argstr`](#opt-argstr)</span> *name* *value*
This option is like `--arg`, only the value is not a Nix expression but a string.
So instead of `--arg system \"i686-linux\"` (the outer quotes are to keep the shell happy) you can say `--argstr system i686-linux`.
- <span id="opt-attr">[`--attr`](#opt-attr)</span> / `-A` *attrPath*
Select an attribute from the top-level Nix expression being evaluated.
(`nix-env`, `nix-instantiate`, `nix-build` and `nix-shell` only.)
The *attribute path* *attrPath* is a sequence of attribute names separated by dots.
For instance, given a top-level Nix expression *e*, the attribute path `xorg.xorgserver` would cause the expression `e.xorg.xorgserver` to be used.
See [`nix-env --install`](@docroot@/command-ref/nix-env/install.md) for some concrete examples.
In addition to attribute names, you can also specify array indices.
For instance, the attribute path `foo.3.bar` selects the `bar`
attribute of the fourth element of the array in the `foo` attribute
of the top-level expression.
- <span id="opt-expr">[`--expr`](#opt-expr)</span> / `-E`
Interpret the command line arguments as a list of Nix expressions to be parsed and evaluated, rather than as a list of file names of Nix expressions.
(`nix-instantiate`, `nix-build` and `nix-shell` only.)
For `nix-shell`, this option is commonly used to give you a shell in which you can build the packages returned by the expression.
If you want to get a shell which contain the *built* packages ready for use, give your expression to the `nix-shell --packages ` convenience flag instead.
- <span id="opt-I">[`-I`](#opt-I)</span> *path*
Add an entry to the [Nix expression search path](@docroot@/command-ref/conf-file.md#conf-nix-path).
This option may be given multiple times.
Paths added through `-I` take precedence over [`NIX_PATH`](@docroot@/command-ref/env-common.md#env-NIX_PATH).
- <span id="opt-option">[`--option`](#opt-option)</span> *name* *value*
Set the Nix configuration option *name* to *value*.
This overrides settings in the Nix configuration file (see nix.conf5).
- <span id="opt-repair">[`--repair`](#opt-repair)</span>
Fix corrupted or missing store paths by redownloading or rebuilding them.
Note that this is slow because it requires computing a cryptographic hash of the contents of every path in the closure of the build.
Also note the warning under `nix-store --repair-path`.