NüschtOS Search
A static-site generator for creating searchable documentation of NixOS configuration options without Elasticsearch.
What is NüschtOS Search?
NüschtOS Search is a static-site generator that creates searchable web interfaces for NixOS configuration options. It allows developers to document and explore options from NixOS modules or flakes without needing a dynamic backend. The tool solves the problem of creating lightweight, deployable search interfaces similar to search.nixos.org but with zero runtime dependencies.
NixOS developers and maintainers who need to provide searchable documentation for their module options, particularly those managing multiple flakes or projects.
Developers choose NüschtOS Search because it eliminates the need for Elasticsearch or other complex search backends, generating entirely static sites that can be hosted anywhere. Its flexibility in handling multiple scopes and input formats makes it ideal for documenting diverse NixOS projects.
Overview
Simple and fast static-page NixOS option search
Use Cases
Best For
- Creating searchable documentation for custom NixOS modules
- Building static search interfaces for flake-based projects
- Documenting configuration options across multiple NixOS projects
- Deploying option search on GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages
- Generating lightweight alternatives to search.nixos.org for specific projects
- Exploring NixOS options without running a full NixOS evaluation locally
Not Ideal For
- Projects requiring real-time search updates or dynamic filtering based on user input
- Teams not using NixOS or unfamiliar with the Nix module system
- Applications needing advanced search features like fuzzy matching, relevance scoring, or user authentication
- Situations where option data changes very frequently and requires instant documentation updates
Pros & Cons
Pros
Generates complete HTML and JSON files that can be deployed on static hosts like GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages, eliminating backend infrastructure as motivated by the project's goal to avoid Elasticsearch.
Supports mkMultiSearch to combine multiple modules or flakes into a single search interface, ideal for community collections like the deployments listed for NixVim and C3D2.
Accepts either NixOS modules directly or pre-generated options.json files, providing versatility in sourcing option documentation as outlined in the usage options.
When urlPrefix is configured, it creates clickable links to option declarations in source code, enhancing documentation usability and traceability.
Cons
Tightly coupled to the NixOS module system; it cannot be used for documenting configurations in other languages or frameworks without significant adaptation.
Any updates to modules require a full rebuild and redeploy of the search site, which can be cumbersome for actively developed projects, unlike dynamic backends.
Issues like missing declarations or malformed defaults often require manual fixes in source modules, as detailed in the FAQ, adding maintenance burden for users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
nix-search-tvFuzzy search for Nix packages.
Nix Package VersionsFind all versions of a package that were available in a channel and the revision you can download it from
Home Manager Option SearchSearch through all 2000+ Home Manager options and read how to use them
NoogleNix API search engine allowing to search functions based on their types and other attributes
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