Stuck downloading dependencies

Start by reproducing devbox shell with the supplied devbox.json and debug logs, comparing the download freeze with the environment-computation freeze. Read the paths shown in internal/nix/build.go, internal/nix/store.go, internal/devpkg/package.go, and internal/plugin/plugin.go to trace the relevant Nix commands. Done means both reported freezes are explained and no longer leave the command hanging.

What happened?

devbox shell intermittently freezes while downloading packages and then later when computing the environment.

Steps to reproduce

devbox shell

Observation:

[0/1 built, 1/26/32 copied (128.4/175.4 MiB), 45.2/56.1 MiB DL]
fetching python3-3.13.6 from https://cache.nixos.org

At this point, the process hangs indefinitely. Need to cancel (Ctrl+C)

Behavior 2: Freeze after downloading (during environment computation)

After pruning most packages (only keeping yq), Devbox passes the download phase but freezes at:

⣟ Computing the Devbox environment...

Command

shell

devbox.json

{
  "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jetify-com/devbox/0.16.0/.schema/devbox.schema.json",
  "packages": [
    "[email protected]",
    "jq",
    "yq",
    "corepack",
    "[email protected]",
    "maven",
    "docker",
    "kubectl",
    "terraform",
    "awscli2",
    "entr",
  ],
  "env": {

  },
  "shell": {
    "init_hook": [
      ]
  },
}

Devbox version

0.16.0

Nix version

Nix Determinate 3.12.1

What system does this bug occur on?

Linux (x86-64)

Debug logs

time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.122Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.124Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.132Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=11.742485ms
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.133Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.135Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.135Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.135Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=342.299µs
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.135Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.320Z 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=2025-11-05T10:33:33.506Z 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=2446 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=186.267938ms
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.506Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.506Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.507Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=614.477µs
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.507Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.508Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.508Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.509Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
Info: Ensuring packages are installed.
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.510Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=yq mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T10:33:33.510Z 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/aaff8c16d7fc04991cac6245bee1baa31f72b1e1?narHash=sha256-12V64nKG%2FO%2FguxSYnr5%2Fnq1EfqwJCdD2%2BcIGmhz3nrE%3D#yq' --json --impure"
time=2025-11-05T10:33:36.954Z 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/aaff8c16d7fc04991cac6245bee1baa31f72b1e1?narHash=sha256-12V64nKG%2FO%2FguxSYnr5%2Fnq1EfqwJCdD2%2BcIGmhz3nrE%3D#yq' --json --impure" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=2452 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=3.443868986s
time=2025-11-05T10:33:36.954Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:61 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info --offline --json /nix/store/7j1z012hb6k7y490a53dz88jsbxhykqn-python3.13-yq-3.4.3"
time=2025-11-05T10:33:37.005Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:61 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info --offline --json /nix/store/7j1z012hb6k7y490a53dz88jsbxhykqn-python3.13-yq-3.4.3" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=2475 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=50.887137ms
Info: Installing the following packages to the nix store: yq
time=2025-11-05T10:33:37.038Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/build.go:50 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' build --impure --no-link 'github:NixOS/nixpkgs/aaff8c16d7fc04991cac6245bee1baa31f72b1e1?narHash=sha256-12V64nKG%2FO%2FguxSYnr5%2Fnq1EfqwJCdD2%2BcIGmhz3nrE%3D#yq'"
[0/1 built, 1/26/32 copied (128.4/175.4 MiB), 45.2/56.1 MiB DL] fetching python3-3.13.6 from https://cache.nixos.org

time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.628Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.628Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.631Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=2.909643ms
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.632Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.632Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.632Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.632Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=398.392µs
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.634Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.806Z 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=2025-11-05T09:55:24.846Z 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=3346 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=39.560414ms
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.846Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:126 msg="searching for config file (including parent directories)" path=.
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.846Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:147 msg="trying config file" path=devbox.json
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.846Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devconfig/config.go:134 msg="config file found" path=/home/my-user/dev/devbox.json dur=282.022µs
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.846Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.847Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.848Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.850Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
Info: Ensuring packages are installed.
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.851Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/plugin/plugin.go:85 msg="creating files for package" [email protected]
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.851Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.851Z 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=2025-11-05T09:55:24.902Z 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=3352 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=50.839286ms
time=2025-11-05T09:55:24.902Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devbox/providers/nixcache/setup.go:86 msg="nixcache: running setup: first time setup"
time=2025-11-05T09:55:25.425Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:61 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info --offline --json /nix/store/f9yl8nlgcyazflxc2nj1cr9k9ika7v7z-nodejs-22.9.0"
time=2025-11-05T09:55:25.476Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/store.go:61 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' path-info --offline --json /nix/store/f9yl8nlgcyazflxc2nj1cr9k9ika7v7z-nodejs-22.9.0" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=3360 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=50.569813ms
Info: Installing the following packages to the nix store: [email protected]
time=2025-11-05T09:55:25.491Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/build.go:50 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' build --impure --no-link /nix/store/f9yl8nlgcyazflxc2nj1cr9k9ika7v7z-nodejs-22.9.0"
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.506Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/build.go:50 msg="nix command exited" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' build --impure --no-link /nix/store/f9yl8nlgcyazflxc2nj1cr9k9ika7v7z-nodejs-22.9.0" cmd.path=/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/bin/nix cmd.pid=3368 cmd.code=0 cmd.dur=27.045203946s
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.507Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.507Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/plugin/plugin.go:85 msg="creating files for package" [email protected]
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.508Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/devpkg/package.go:204 msg="package doesn't need patching" pkg=nodejs mode=auto
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.523Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/nix.go:83 msg="running print-dev-env cmd" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' print-dev-env --json path:/home/my-user/dev/.devbox/gen/flake"
time=2025-11-05T09:55:53.523Z level=DEBUG source=go.jetify.com/devbox/internal/nix/nix.go:84 msg="nix command starting" cmd.args="nix --extra-experimental-features ca-derivations --option experimental-features 'nix-command flakes fetch-closure' print-dev-env --json path:/home/my-user/dev/.devbox/gen/flake"
⣟ Computing the Devbox environment...