Composing using imports

You can compose environments either locally or by referencing inputs.

Imagine you’re building a typical web application, with separate frontend and backend components that live in separate folders.

inputs:
  nixpkgs:
    url: github:cachix/devenv-nixpkgs/rolling
  devenv:
    url: github:cachix/devenv
    flake: false
imports:
- ./frontend
- ./backend
- devenv/examples/supported-languages
- devenv/examples/scripts

If you enter the frontend directory, the environment will activate based on what’s in the frontend/devenv.nix file.

If you enter the top-level project, the environment is combined with what’s defined in backend/devenv.nix and frontend/devenv.nix. For example, devenv up will start both the frontend and backend processes.

To keep your devenv configuration in a separate repository, for example when working on a team that doesn’t use devenv, declare it as a path: input and import it:

inputs:
  shared-config:
    url: path:../shared-config/
    flake: false
imports:
- shared-config

The sibling shared-config repository only needs a devenv.nix file. Combine this with profiles to define one shared configuration that adapts to each project.

See devenv.yaml reference for all supported import options.

Composing using imports

Sharing configuration from another repository