Nixpkgs Package Category Hierarchy

This category hierarchy is partially deprecated and will be migrated away over time. The new `pkgs/by-name` directory ([docs](./by-name/README.md)) should be preferred instead. The category hierarchy may still be used for packages that should be imported using an alternate `callPackage`, such as `python3Packages.callPackage` or `libsForQt5.callPackage`. If that is the case for a new package, here are some rules for picking the right category. Many packages fall under several categories; what matters is the _primary_ purpose of a package. For example, the `libxml2` package builds both a library and some tools; but it’s a library foremost, so it goes under `pkgs/development/libraries`. <details> <summary>Categories</summary> **If it’s used to support _software development_:** - **If it’s a _library_ used by other packages:** - `development/libraries` (e.g. `libxml2`) - **If it’s a _compiler_:** - `development/compilers` (e.g. `gcc`) - **If it’s an _interpreter_:** - `development/interpreters` (e.g. `guile`) - **If it’s a (set of) development _tool(s)_:** - **If it’s a _parser generator_ (including lexers):** - `development/tools/parsing` (e.g. `bison`, `flex`) - **If it’s a _build manager_:** - `development/tools/build-managers` (e.g. `gnumake`) - **If it’s a _language server_:** - `development/tools/language-servers` (e.g. `ccls` or `nil`) - **Else:** - `development/tools/misc` (e.g. `binutils`) - **Else:** - `development/misc` **If it’s a (set of) _tool(s)_:** (A tool is a relatively small program, especially one intended to be used non-interactively.) - **If it’s for _networking_:** - `tools/networking` (e.g. `wget`) - **If it’s for _text processing_:** - `tools/text` (e.g. `diffutils`) - **If it’s a _system utility_, i.e., something related or essential to the operation of a system:** - `tools/system` (e.g. `cron`) - **If it’s an _archiver_ (which may include a compression function):** - `tools/archivers` (e.g. `zip`, `tar`) - **If it’s a _compression_ program:** - `tools/compression` (e.g. `gzip`, `bzip2`) - **If it’s a _security_-related program:** - `tools/security` (e.g. `nmap`, `gnupg`) - **Else:** - `tools/misc` **If it’s a _shell_:** - `shells` (e.g. `bash`) **If it’s a _server_:** - **If it’s a web server:** - `servers/http` (e.g. `apache-httpd`) - **If it’s an implementation of the X Windowing System:** - `servers/x11` (e.g. `xorg` — this includes the client libraries and programs) - **Else:** - `servers/misc` **If it’s a _desktop environment_:** - `desktops` (e.g. `kde`, `gnome`, `enlightenment`) **If it’s a _window manager_:** - `applications/window-managers` (e.g. `awesome`, `stumpwm`) **If it’s an _application_:** A (typically large) program with a distinct user interface, primarily used interactively. - **If it’s a _version management system_:** - `applications/version-management` (e.g. `subversion`) - **If it’s a _terminal emulator_:** - `applications/terminal-emulators` (e.g. `alacritty` or `rxvt` or `termite`) - **If it’s a _file manager_:** - `applications/file-managers` (e.g. `mc` or `ranger` or `pcmanfm`) - **If it’s for _video playback / editing_:** - `applications/video` (e.g. `vlc`) - **If it’s for _graphics viewing / editing_:** - `applications/graphics` (e.g. `gimp`) - **If it’s for _networking_:** - **If it’s a _mailreader_:** - `applications/networking/mailreaders` (e.g. `thunderbird`) - **If it’s a _newsreader_:** - `applications/networking/newsreaders` (e.g. `pan`) - **If it’s a _web browser_:** - `applications/networking/browsers` (e.g. `firefox`) - **Else:** - `applications/networking/misc` - **Else:** - `applications/misc` **If it’s _data_ (i.e., does not have a straight-forward executable semantics):** - **If it’s a _font_:** - `data/fonts` - **If it’s an _icon theme_:** - `data/icons` - **If it’s related to _SGML/XML processing_:**

This text details the package category hierarchy in Nixpkgs, noting its partial deprecation in favor of the `pkgs/by-name` directory. It provides guidelines for choosing the correct category for new packages, emphasizing the primary purpose of the package. The document outlines categories for software development tools (libraries, compilers, interpreters, parser generators, build managers, language servers), general tools (networking, text processing, system utilities, archivers, compression, security), shells, servers, desktop environments, window managers, applications (version management, terminal emulators, file managers, video/graphics editing/viewing, networking), and data (fonts, icon themes, SGML/XML processing).