# NixOS Package Search Scraper (`crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes NixOS package metadata from the NixOS package search backend. Search packages by keyword or fetch specific packages by attribute name.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Crawler Gang](https://apify.com/crawlergang) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 11 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## NixOS Package Search Scraper

Scrape NixOS package metadata directly from the official NixOS package search backend. Search packages by keyword or fetch specific packages by their Nix attribute name across multiple NixOS channels.

### Features

- **Search packages** by keyword across NixOS channels
- **Fetch specific packages** by attribute name (e.g. `git`, `nodejs_20`, `python3`)
- Supports **NixOS 25.11** (stable), **NixOS 26.05**, and **NixOS Unstable** channels
- Returns full package metadata: version, description, license, maintainers, platforms, position, and homepage
- Includes direct link to the package on search.nixos.org

### Input

| Field | Type | Description | Default |
|-------|------|-------------|---------|
| `mode` | select | `searchPackages` or `getByAttr` | `searchPackages` |
| `searchQuery` | string | Keyword to search for | `git` |
| `channel` | select | NixOS channel: `25.11`, `26.05`, or `unstable` | `25.11` |
| `attrNames` | array | Nix attribute names to fetch (e.g. `["git", "vim"]`) | `[]` |
| `maxItems` | integer | Maximum number of packages to return (1–500) | `50` |

#### Example Input — Search Packages

```json
{
  "mode": "searchPackages",
  "searchQuery": "git",
  "channel": "25.11",
  "maxItems": 20
}
```

#### Example Input — Get by Attribute

```json
{
  "mode": "getByAttr",
  "attrNames": ["git", "vim", "nodejs_20"],
  "channel": "25.11"
}
```

### Output

Each record contains:

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `attrName` | string | Nix attribute name (e.g. `git`) |
| `packageName` | string | Package pname (e.g. `git`) |
| `version` | string | Package version (e.g. `2.51.2`) |
| `description` | string | Short description |
| `longDescription` | string | Detailed description (HTML stripped) |
| `license` | string | License name(s) |
| `maintainers` | array | List of maintainer names |
| `platforms` | array | Supported platforms |
| `position` | string | File:line in nixpkgs (e.g. `pkgs/...default.nix:552`) |
| `homepage` | string | Project homepage URL |
| `channel` | string | NixOS channel queried |
| `sourceUrl` | string | Link to package on search.nixos.org |
| `recordType` | string | Always `"package"` |
| `scrapedAt` | string | ISO 8601 timestamp |

#### Example Output Record

```json
{
  "attrName": "git",
  "packageName": "git",
  "version": "2.51.2",
  "description": "Distributed version control system",
  "longDescription": "Git, a popular distributed version control system designed to handle very large projects with speed and efficiency.",
  "license": "GNU General Public License v2.0",
  "maintainers": ["Wout Mertens", "Robin Gloster", "Adam Dinwoodie"],
  "platforms": ["x86_64-linux", "aarch64-linux", "x86_64-darwin"],
  "position": "pkgs/applications/version-management/git/default.nix:552",
  "homepage": "https://git-scm.com/",
  "channel": "25.11",
  "sourceUrl": "https://search.nixos.org/packages?channel=25.11&show=git",
  "recordType": "package",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```

### FAQs

**Which NixOS channels are supported?**
NixOS 25.11 (current stable), NixOS 26.05, and NixOS Unstable.

**What is an attribute name?**
In Nix, packages are identified by their attribute path in nixpkgs. For example `git`, `nodejs_20`, or `python3`. You can find attribute names on [search.nixos.org](https://search.nixos.org/packages).

**How many packages can I scrape?**
Up to 500 packages per run. For larger datasets, run multiple times with different queries.

**Are there rate limits?**
The NixOS search backend is a public Elasticsearch cluster. The scraper uses appropriate delays to avoid overloading it.

**What does the `position` field contain?**
The file path and line number in the [nixpkgs repository](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs) where the package is defined, e.g. `pkgs/applications/version-management/git/default.nix:552`.

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Scraping mode: searchPackages (search by keyword) or getByAttr (fetch specific packages by attribute name).

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Keyword to search for in NixOS packages. Used in searchPackages mode.

## `channel` (type: `string`):

The NixOS channel to search packages in.

## `attrNames` (type: `array`):

List of Nix attribute names to fetch (e.g. 'git', 'vim', 'pkgs.nodejs'). Used in getByAttr mode.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of packages to return.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "searchPackages",
  "searchQuery": "git",
  "channel": "25.11",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "mode": "searchPackages",
    "searchQuery": "git",
    "channel": "25.11",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "mode": "searchPackages",
    "searchQuery": "git",
    "channel": "25.11",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "mode": "searchPackages",
  "searchQuery": "git",
  "channel": "25.11",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlergang/nix-packages-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/ciIh0xRxVApo4lbVm/builds/UKt8heiQqEqbl8kaR/openapi.json