devbox add looks for nixpkgs in current path instead of elsewhere

[anka-213]

What happened?

I get this error:

$ devbox add inotifywait
Ensuring nixpkgs registry is downloaded.
error: getting status of '/my/current/path/nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968': No such file or directory
Ensuring nixpkgs registry is downloaded: Fail

Error: Package inotifywait not found

Not sure why it's looking for nixkpgs in my current path instead of some user-wide place or at least in the devbox dir in my project?

Here's my NIX_PATH if that is relevant. I'm on NixOS

$ echo $NIX_PATH
nixpkgs=flake nixpkgs /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels

Steps to reproduce

1. devbox init
2. devbox add inotifywait

Command

add

devbox.json

{
    "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jetify-com/devbox/0.16.0/.schema/devbox.schema.json",
    "packages": [],
    "shell": {
      "init_hook": [
        "echo 'Welcome to devbox!' > /dev/null"
      ],
      "scripts": {
        "test": [
          "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
        ]
      }
    }
  }

Devbox version

0.16.0

Nix version

nix (Nix) 2.31.2

What system does this bug occur on?

Linux (x86-64)

Debug logs

DEVBOX_DEBUG=1 devbox add inotifywait
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.009+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/tmp/devbox-example/devbox.json dur=1.007828ms
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.010+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.011+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/tmp/devbox-example/devbox.json dur=110.192µs
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.011+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.011+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.011+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/nix/nix.go:143 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' --version --debug"
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.072+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/nix/nix.go:143 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' --version --debug" cmd.path=/run/current-system/sw/bin/nix cmd.pid=724512 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=61.170854ms
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/tmp/devbox-example/devbox.json dur=331.799µs
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotifywait mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.073+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotifywait mode=auto
Ensuring nixpkgs registry is downloaded.
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.433+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/nixpkgs.go:47 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' flake prefetch 'nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968?narHash=sha256-tLj4KcRDLakrlpvboTJDKsrp6z2XLwyQ4Zmo%2Bw8KsY4%3D'"
error: getting status of '/tmp/devbox-example/nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968': No such file or directory
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.492+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/nixpkgs.go:47 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' flake prefetch 'nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968?narHash=sha256-tLj4KcRDLakrlpvboTJDKsrp6z2XLwyQ4Zmo%2Bw8KsY4%3D'" cmd.path=/run/current-system/sw/bin/nix cmd.pid=724535 cmd.code=1 cmd.dur=59.331955ms
Ensuring nixpkgs registry is downloaded: Fail
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.493+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/search.go:105 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' search 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968?narHash=sha256-tLj4KcRDLakrlpvboTJDKsrp6z2XLwyQ4Zmo%2Bw8KsY4%3D#inotifywait' ^ --json"
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.671+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/search.go:105 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' search 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968?narHash=sha256-tLj4KcRDLakrlpvboTJDKsrp6z2XLwyQ4Zmo%2Bw8KsY4%3D#inotifywait' ^ --json" cmd.path=/run/current-system/sw/bin/nix cmd.stderr="flake 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/bde09022887110deb780067364a0818e89258968?narHash=sha256-tLj4KcRDLakrlpvboTJDKsrp6z2XLwyQ4Zmo%2Bw8KsY4%3D' does not provide attribute 'packages.x86_64-linux.inotifywait', 'legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.inotifywait' or 'inotifywait'" cmd.pid=724551 cmd.code=1 cmd.dur=178.430986ms

Error: Package inotifywait not found

time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.671+01:00 level=ERROR source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/midcobra/debug.go:70 msg="command error" execid=89da4643136642d5bce705bacc39dedb stack="Package inotifywait not found\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/usererr.New\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/usererr/usererr.go:30\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devbox.(*Devbox).Add\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devbox/packages.go:151\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli.addCmdFunc\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/add.go:107\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli.addCmd.func1\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/add.go:48\ngithub.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).execute\n\tgithub.com/spf13/cobra@v1.9.1/command.go:1015\ngithub.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).ExecuteC\n\tgithub.com/spf13/cobra@v1.9.1/command.go:1148\ngithub.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).Execute\n\tgithub.com/spf13/cobra@v1.9.1/command.go:1071\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/midcobra.(*midcobraExecutable).Execute\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/midcobra/midcobra.go:61\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli.Execute\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/root.go:113\ngo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli.Main\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/root.go:132\nmain.main\n\tgo.jetify.com/devbox/cmd/devbox/main.go:11\nruntime.main\n\truntime/proc.go:283\nruntime.goexit\n\truntime/asm_amd64.s:1700"
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.674+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.674+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.674+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/tmp/devbox-example/devbox.json dur=327.603µs
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.674+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=inotify-tools mode=auto
time=2026-01-19T15:19:10.674+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=asdf mode=auto

[anka-213]

I did realize that the package isn't called inotifywait, so the issue is mostly the cryptic error message. If I run devbox add inotify-tools, it works as it should.