name: nix-shell-deps description: Use nix-shell -p to temporarily install and run tools that are not available locally. When any skill requires Python, Node, ffmpeg, or other tools, follow this skill's guidance to wrap execution with nix-shell instead of installing globally.

nix-shell-deps

Temporarily install dependencies using nix-shell without polluting the local environment.

Basic Pattern

Check if a tool exists before execution. If not, run with nix-shell -p:

bash

# Single package
nix-shell -p <package> --run "<command>"

# Multiple packages
nix-shell -p pkg1 pkg2 pkg3 --run "<command>"

Package Naming Conventions

Type	nixpkgs name	Example
General tools	as-is	`ffmpeg`, `jq`, `imagemagick`
Python	`python3Packages.<name>`	`python3Packages.requests`
Node	`nodePackages.<name>`	`nodePackages.prettier`
Haskell	`haskellPackages.<name>`	`haskellPackages.pandoc`

Finding Package Names

bash

nix search nixpkgs <name>

Examples

bash

# PDF manipulation with pypdf
nix-shell -p python3Packages.pypdf --run "python script.py"

# Image conversion
nix-shell -p imagemagick --run "convert input.png output.jpg"

# Combining multiple tools
nix-shell -p ffmpeg imagemagick --run "ffmpeg -i video.mp4 frame.png && convert frame.png -resize 50% thumb.png"