Main
- The README is explicit about the goal: stop agents from inventing package names by giving them a server that queries real NixOS data sources in real time.
- It documents multiple deployment paths (uvx, Nix flake, Docker, remote HTTP), which makes it usable across dev laptops and CI without requiring NixOS itself.
- HTTP mode is first-class: you can run with
MCP_NIXOS_TRANSPORT=httpand serve the MCP endpoint (default/mcp), which fits hosted-agent setups. - A good verification prompt is to ask for a package + option pair and have the agent cite the exact attribute names returned by the server before writing configuration.
FAQ
- Do I need NixOS installed?: No. The README highlights that you are querying APIs, so it can work on Windows/macOS/Linux without running NixOS locally.
- Which install path should I pick?: Use the uvx config first; switch to Docker or Nix if you need a pinned runtime or you are deploying to servers.
- How do I know it is working?: After adding the MCP server config, ask your client to list tools/resources and verify the NixOS queries return concrete attribute names.