1# nina23**the best way to use nixos.**45Nina wraps the full NixOS workflow in plain, memorable verbs — packages, rebuilds, generations, flakes, services, remote machines. Written in Zig. Zero dependencies. One binary.67```8$ nina search ripgrep9$ nina apply10$ nina back11$ nina status --all12```1314---1516## install1718**nix profile** (recommended — instant, per-user, no `sudo`):1920```sh21nix profile add 'https://kepr.uk/nina/archive/HEAD.tar.gz#nina'22```2324Remove any time with `nina goodbye`.2526**koh** (build from source via koh):2728```sh29koh steal kepr.uk/nina30cd nina && zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFast31sudo cp zig-out/bin/nina /usr/local/bin/nina32```3334**source archive** (download and build manually):3536Download the source archive from [kepr.uk/nina/releases](https://kepr.uk/nina/releases), then:3738```sh39tar xf nina-*.tar.gz && cd nina-*/40zig build -Doptimize=ReleaseFast41sudo cp zig-out/bin/nina /usr/local/bin/nina42```4344**linux · nixos 24.05+** — requires `nix-command` and `flakes` experimental features. 45Run `nina setup` on first use to enable them automatically.4647---4849## the commands you'll actually use5051```52nina apply rebuild and switch to the new configuration53nina apply --dry preview what would change without switching54nina back roll back to the previous generation55nina go <n> jump to any generation by number56nina history list all generations57nina clean remove old generations and free store space5859nina search <q> search nixpkgs inline — browse, install, or try60nina option <q> search NixOS options inline61nina install <p> add a package — profile (instant) or system config62nina remove <p> remove a package from profile or system config63nina try <p> run a package without installing it64nina list show installed packages6566nina home apply apply home-manager config67nina home back roll back one home-manager generation68nina home history list home-manager generations69nina home edit open home.nix70nina home check validate home config without switching71nina home diff compare the latest two home generations72nina home packages list packages managed by home-manager7374nina status machine health at a glance75nina status --all health across every configured machine76nina doctor diagnose common issues77nina diff what changed between generations78nina log operation history7980nina service list list systemd services and their state81nina service logs <s> journal logs for a service82nina service start/stop/restart <s>8384nina flake show inspect flake outputs85nina flake update update lock files86nina develop enter a dev shell87nina build build a flake output88nina run <p> run a package without installing8990nina edit open configuration.nix in your editor91nina check validate config without switching92nina fmt format nix files93nina info nixos version, kernel, uptime94nina boot boot entries9596nina help all commands97nina --version version info98```99100---101102## hooks103104Nina runs optional executable hook scripts before and after state-changing commands.105Create them in `~/.config/nina/hooks/`:106107```108pre-apply post-apply109pre-back post-back110pre-home post-home111pre-upgrade post-upgrade112```113114Missing hooks are ignored. Hook files must be executable (`chmod +x`) to run.115If a pre-hook exits non-zero, Nina shows the last five output lines and asks116whether to continue, defaulting to no. If a post-hook exits non-zero, Nina shows117a warning after the command's success line.118119Example: stop `nina apply` when your config has uncommitted changes.120121```sh122123124if git -C ~/nixos-config status --porcelain | grep -q .; then125 echo "uncommitted changes - commit before applying"126 exit 1127fi128```129130---131132## multi-machine133134Any command runs on a remote machine with `--on <name>`. Configure machines in `~/.nina.conf`:135136```ini137[machine]138name = kyoshi139config = /etc/nixos140local = true141default = true142143[machine]144name = azula145host = azula146user = june147ssh_key = ~/.ssh/id_ed25519148```149150```151nina apply --on azula152nina service logs ollama -f --on azula153nina status --all154```155156```157:: status158159 kyoshi gen 348 3m ago 42 GB160 azula gen 192 14m ago 18 GB161```162163---164165## search that stays at the prompt166167`nina search` opens an inline widget — no fullscreen takeover. Browse results, see versions and licenses, install to your profile or system config, copy the attr name, or try the package in a temporary shell.168169```170:: search nixpkgs ripgrep 12 results171172 > ripgrep 14.1.1 free fast line-oriented search173 ripgrep-all 0.9.6 free search across file formats174 ugrep 6.0.0 free grep compatible ripgrep alt175176 ripgrep 14.1.1 free177 recursively search directories for a regex pattern178 attr pkgs.ripgrep179180 [i] profile [s] system [t] try [c] copy [esc] exit181```182183---184185## install that actually works186187`nina install` uses `nix search nixpkgs` directly — no external API, no network dependency after your first channel update, no silent failures. Works offline.188189Two install paths, your choice:190191- **profile** — instant. package available immediately. no rebuild.192- **system** — opens your editor at the right line in `configuration.nix`, then offers to apply.193194---195196## config197198`~/.nina.conf` — plain text, no surprises:199200```ini201editor = hx202generations = 5203confirm = true204teach = false205color = true206207[machine]208name = my-machine209config = /etc/nixos210local = true211default = true212```213214`teach = true` prints the underlying nix command after each operation so you learn while you work.215216---217218## what nina outputs219220```221:: rebuilding kyoshi...222223 -> [build output]224225:: generation 14 [42.3s]226```227228```229:: error: 'firefocks' not found in nixpkgs230 -> try: nina search firefox231```232233Pink `::` marks Nina's voice. Green for success. Red for errors. Yellow for warnings. Color auto-disables when stdout is not a TTY. Respects `NO_COLOR`.234235---236237## built by238239[asha software](https://asha.software) — hope in every line of code.240241**[nina.asha.software](https://nina.asha.software)** · [source](https://kepr.uk/nina) · [docs](https://nina.asha.software/docs)