nix4vscode is a nix overlay for vscode. It supports both vscode and openvsx.
nix4vscode support vscode by Nix overlays, here's how you can use it:
{
inputs = {
nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS:nixpkgs/release-24.11";
nix4vscode = {
url = "github:nix-community/nix4vscode";
inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs";
};
};
outputs = { nixpkgs, nix4vscode ... }:
let
pkgs = import <nixpkgs> {
config.allowUnfree = true;
system = "aarch64-darwin"; # One of supported systems
overlays = [
nix4vscode.overlays.default
];
};
# Now you can access nix4vscode utilities from pkgs.nix4vscode
extensions = pkgs.nix4vscode.forVscode [
"tamasfe.even-better-toml"
"ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers"
# Using the specified version
"editorconfig.editorconfig.0.9.4"
/* ... */
];
in
{
# ... your flake outputs
};
}Alternatively, if you use nix-darwin or NixOS you can add overlays to nixpkgs attribute in your one of modules:
# `self` or `input` attribute is the attribute you pass via `specialArgs` when you call `darwinSystem` or `nixosSystem`
{ self, ... }: {
nixpkgs.overlays = [ self.inputs.nix4vscode.forVscode ];
}Now, if you use VSCode with Home Manager, and you added overlays, you can install your extensions like this:
{ pkgs, ... }: {
programs.vscode = {
enable = true;
enableUpdateCheck = false; # Disable VSCode self-update and let Home Manager to manage VSCode versions instead.
enableExtensionUpdateCheck = false; # Disable extensions auto-update and let nix4vscode manage updates and extensions
extensions = pkgs.nix4vscode.forVscode [
"tamasfe.even-better-toml"
"ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers.0.397.0" # You can also install specific version of extensions
];
};
}The Overlays has exported the following functions:
| Usage | description |
|---|---|
forVscode [ extension ] |
Install extensions from VSCode marketplace using default version |
forVscodeVersion version [ extension ] |
Install extensions for specific VSCode version |
forVscodePrerelease [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions from VSCode marketplace |
forVscodeVersionPrerelease version [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions for specific VSCode version |
forOpenVsx [ extension ] |
Install extensions from OpenVSX registry |
forOpenVsxVersion version [ extension ] |
Install extensions from OpenVSX for specific version |
forOpenVsxPrerelease [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions from OpenVSX |
forOpenVsxVersionPrerelease version [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions from OpenVSX for specific version |
| Usage | description |
|---|---|
forVscodeExt decorators [ extension ] |
Install extensions with custom decorators |
forVscodeExtVersion decorators version [ extension ] |
Install extensions with decorators for specific version |
forVscodeExtPrerelease decorators [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions with decorators |
forVscodeExtVersionPrerelease decorators version [ extension ] |
Install prerelease extensions with decorators for specific version |
forOpenVsxExt decorators [ extension ] |
Install OpenVSX extensions with decorators |
forOpenVsxExtVersion decorators version [ extension ] |
Install OpenVSX extensions with decorators for specific version |
forOpenVsxExtPrerelease decorators [ extension ] |
Install prerelease OpenVSX extensions with decorators |
forOpenVsxExtVersionPrerelease decorators version [ extension ] |
Install prerelease OpenVSX extensions with decorators for specific version |
version: string - VSCode version (e.g., "1.100.2")decorators: attribute set - Custom decorators for extensions[ extension ]: list of strings - Extension identifiers- type extension = "ms-vscode.cpptools" | "ms-vscode.cpptools.1.8.2"
Decorators allow you to customize extension installation with patches, dependencies, or other modifications:
let
myDecorators = {
"ms-vscode.cpptools" = {
postPatch = ''
echo "Applying custom patch"
# Custom installation logic
'';
buildInputs = [ pkgs.clang-tools ];
};
"rust-lang.rust-analyzer" = { pkgs, lib, system }: {
# Dynamic decorator using function
buildInputs = [ pkgs.rust-analyzer ];
};
};
in
{
extensions = pkgs.nix4vscode.forVscodeExt myDecorators [
"ms-vscode.cpptools"
"rust-lang.rust-analyzer"
];
}Decorator priority (highest to lowest):
- External decorators (passed via
decoratorsparameter) - Package overrides (in
pkgs.nix4vscode-publisher.extension) - Local decorator files (in
nix/decorators/)