Flake outputs and reusable run configurations

Select the flake root#

Open Tools → Nix → Flake Explorer or Nix Flakes. In a repository with nested flakes, select the intended one rather than assuming the root package owns every output. Discovery reads outputs using nix flake show --json --no-write-lock-file.

Inspect an output’s system and installable. A package available for x86_64-linux is not automatically available for aarch64-darwin.

Use the matching action#

Output or task	Intended operation
Package	Build the selected installable
App	Run its declared entry point
Development shell	Enter its development environment
Check	Build/run the declared check through Nix
Whole flake	Check Flake for that root

Actions create ordinary IDE run configurations. Inspect the generated command, working directory, environment, and installable before reusing it.

Validate environment behavior#

For a dev shell, compare available tools inside the launched environment with tools seen by the desktop IDE. Entering a shell does not rewrite the parent IDE process’s PATH. Configure executable paths explicitly when a language server should run outside that shell.

Devenv language-server selection and optional development-environment injection are separate settings. Enable only the integration the project actually uses and inspect the resulting run configuration.

Handle evaluation failures#

Read Nix’s error output, check enabled flake support, input availability, lock state, and selected system. Do not repeatedly recreate run configurations when the same nix flake show or build fails outside the IDE.

The editor keeps flake inputs and project structure visible while configuring the Nix workflow. Select the image to view it at full size.