docs: clarify package overrides with flakes

Extend the package override FAQ with flake examples for modules that expose a package option and modules that require an overlay.

Clarify that Home Manager nixpkgs.overlays only applies to standalone configurations or system-module configurations that do not enable home-manager.useGlobalPkgs.

For useGlobalPkgs setups, direct users to put overlays in the system configuration and pass any flake-provided package sets through nixosSystem or darwinSystem specialArgs.
This commit is contained in:
Austin Horstman
2026-05-04 09:26:40 -05:00
parent c3387b41c9
commit 938311a3bd

View File

@@ -20,10 +20,22 @@ this package. This can typically be done in two ways.
{ pkgs, config, ... }:
let
pkgsUnstable = import <nixpkgs-unstable> {};
in
{
programs.beets.package = pkgsUnstable.beets;
# …
}
```
should work OK. With flakes, pass the unstable package set as
described in
[How do I install packages from Nixpkgs unstable?](#_how_do_i_install_packages_from_nixpkgs_unstable)
and then use the extra module argument:
``` nix
{ pkgsUnstable, ... }:
{
programs.beets.package = pkgsUnstable.beets;
@@ -32,9 +44,7 @@ this package. This can typically be done in two ways.
}
```
should work OK.
3. If no `package` option is available then you can typically change
2. If no `package` option is available then you can typically change
the relevant package using an
[overlay](https://nixos.org/nixpkgs/manual/#chap-overlays).
@@ -45,16 +55,14 @@ this package. This can typically be done in two ways.
{ pkgs, config, ... }:
let
pkgsUnstable = import <nixpkgs-unstable> {};
in
{
programs.skim.enable = true;
nixpkgs.overlays = [
(self: super: {
(_final: _prev: {
skim = pkgsUnstable.skim;
})
];
@@ -64,3 +72,46 @@ this package. This can typically be done in two ways.
```
should work OK.
The same Home Manager overlay works in a flake-based standalone
configuration if `pkgsUnstable` is passed to the Home Manager
module:
``` nix
{ pkgsUnstable, ... }:
{
programs.skim.enable = true;
nixpkgs.overlays = [
(_final: _prev: {
skim = pkgsUnstable.skim;
})
];
# …
}
```
This also works when Home Manager is used as a NixOS or nix-darwin
module without `home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true`. If
`home-manager.useGlobalPkgs = true` is enabled, Home Manager uses
the system package set and the `nixpkgs.*` options inside Home
Manager are disabled. In that case, put the overlay in the system
configuration instead, for example:
``` nix
{ pkgsUnstable, ... }:
{
nixpkgs.overlays = [
(_final: _prev: {
skim = pkgsUnstable.skim;
})
];
}
```
In a flake-based NixOS or nix-darwin configuration, pass
`pkgsUnstable` to `nixosSystem` or `darwinSystem` with
`specialArgs`.