`devbox add elixir` fails on MacOS

[dantarian]

What happened?

I consistently receive an error when trying to run devbox add elixir in a new project in MacOS (Tahoe, Apple silicon):

Error: error installing package darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices
source: nix: command error: nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/a1f79a1770d05af18111fbbe2a3ab2c42c0f6cd0#darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices' --json --impure: darwin.apple_sdk_11_0 has been removed as it was a legacy compatibility stub; see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-darwin-legacy-frameworks> for migration instructions: exit code 1

Notably:

• It works fine on a Linux machine.
• Other packages work fine (e.g. devbox add nodejs).
• The elixir package in Nix seems to work fine by itself (e.g. nix-shell --packages elixir).
• The same problem occurred when trying other approaches (e.g. manually updating packages in devbox.json and running devbox install).

Steps to reproduce

1. devbox init
2. devbox add elixir

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 (Determinate Nix 3.11.2) 2.31.1

What system does this bug occur on?

macOS (Apple Silicon)

Debug logs

time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/Users/me/code/my-project/devbox.json dur=221.959µs
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/Users/me/code/my-project/devbox.json dur=31.125µs
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.583+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.596+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=2025-09-23T21:36:04.637+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=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=35960 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=41.642833ms
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/Users/me/code/my-project/devbox.json dur=97.959µs
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=elixir mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.638+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=elixir mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.805+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:145 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' store info --store daemon --json"
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.854+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:145 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' store info --store daemon --json" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=35962 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=48.901208ms
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.854+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devbox/providers/nixcache/setup.go:86 msg="nixcache: running setup: first time setup"
Info: Adding package "elixir@latest" to devbox.json
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=elixir mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/plugin/plugin.go:85 msg="creating files for package" pkg=nodejs@latest
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/plugin/plugin.go:85 msg="creating files for package" pkg=elixir@latest
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:04.919+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=elixir mode=auto
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.022+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:40 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/a1f79a1770d05af18111fbbe2a3ab2c42c0f6cd0#darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices' --json --impure"
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.252+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:40 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/a1f79a1770d05af18111fbbe2a3ab2c42c0f6cd0#darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices' --json --impure" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.stderr="darwin.apple_sdk_11_0 has been removed as it was a legacy compatibility stub; see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-darwin-legacy-frameworks> for migration instructions" cmd.pid=35965 cmd.code=1 cmd.dur=230.304417ms

Error: error installing package darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices
source: nix: command error: nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/a1f79a1770d05af18111fbbe2a3ab2c42c0f6cd0#darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.CoreServices' --json --impure: darwin.apple_sdk_11_0 has been removed as it was a legacy compatibility stub; see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-darwin-legacy-frameworks> for migration instructions: exit code 1

time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.255+01:00 level=ERROR source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/midcobra/debug.go:68 msg="command error" stderr="error:\n       … while calling the 'throw' builtin\n         at /nix/store/qa2ws32q0k7r95blwg4lsqfgx7mjbszj-source/pkgs/top-level/darwin-aliases.nix:52:5:\n           51|     name:\n           52|     throw \"darwin.${name} has been removed as it was a legacy compatibility stub; see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-darwin-legacy-frameworks> for migration instructions\";\n             |     ^\n           53|\n\n       error: darwin.apple_sdk_11_0 has been removed as it was a legacy compatibility stub; see <https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-darwin-legacy-frameworks> for migration instructions\n" execid=afb4c76c28e34d949faae4d1f0a0adf0 stack=<nil>
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.255+01:00 level=ERROR source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/boxcli/midcobra/debug.go:70 msg="command error" execid=afb4c76c28e34d949faae4d1f0a0adf0 stack=<nil>
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.255+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.255+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.256+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/Users/me/code/my-project/devbox.json dur=92.667µs
time=2025-09-23T21:36:05.256+01:00 level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto

[dantarian]

A partial workaround is to use the flake rather than the plugin:

  "packages": [
    "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/7cc0bff31a3a705d3ac4fdceb030a17239412210#elixir"
  ],
  "env": {
    "ERL_AFLAGS": "-kernel shell_history enabled"
  },