code-cursor: use generic vscode package builder

[Zaczero]

Updated code-cursor package to use the generic vscode package builder, which it is compatible with (apart from the extra step of unpacking the AppImage archive). This fixes hardware acceleration for me and substantially improves Cursor performance. A few more bonuses: it adds a code-cursor-fhs variant, and cursor is now able to launch in the /etc/nixos directory (whereas previously it couldn't).

Things done

• Built on platform(s)
  • x86_64-linux
  • aarch64-linux
  • x86_64-darwin
  • aarch64-darwin
• For non-Linux: Is sandboxing enabled in nix.conf? (See Nix manual)
  • sandbox = relaxed
  • sandbox = true
• Tested, as applicable:
  • NixOS test(s) (look inside nixos/tests)
  • and/or package tests
  • or, for functions and "core" functionality, tests in lib/tests or pkgs/test
  • made sure NixOS tests are linked to the relevant packages
• Tested compilation of all packages that depend on this change using nix-shell -p nixpkgs-review --run "nixpkgs-review rev HEAD". Note: all changes have to be committed, also see nixpkgs-review usage
• Tested basic functionality of all binary files (usually in ./result/bin/)
• Nixpkgs 25.11 Release Notes (or backporting 24.11 and 25.05 Nixpkgs Release notes)
  • (Package updates) Added a release notes entry if the change is major or breaking
• NixOS 25.11 Release Notes (or backporting 24.11 and 25.05 NixOS Release notes)
  • (Module updates) Added a release notes entry if the change is significant
  • (Module addition) Added a release notes entry if adding a new NixOS module
• Fits CONTRIBUTING.md.

---

Add a 👍 reaction to pull requests you find important.

[Zaczero]

Attribute pkgs.code-cursor was previously defined in pkgs/by-name/co/code-cursor/package.nix, but is now manually defined as callPackage ./pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/cursor.nix { /* ... */ } in pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix.
Please move the package back and remove the manual callPackage.

This PR introduces additional instances of discouraged patterns as listed above. Merging is discouraged but would not break the base branch.

I believe this CI check does not apply to this situation.

[aspauldingcode]

wow! tysm.

[aspauldingcode]

at a glance here (limited time for me atm in finals) it looks like you additionally added vscode configuration for code-cursor?
so now programs.vscode.settings could point to code-cursor, if the package is set to pkgs.code-cursor?

[Zaczero]

at a glance here (limited time for me atm in finals) it looks like you additionally added vscode configuration for code-cursor? so now programs.vscode.settings could point to code-cursor, if the package is set to pkgs.code-cursor?

I don't know. I couldn't find the programs.vscode.settings you're talking about. If you mean the patchVSCodePath flag, it's because Cursor, unlike VSCode, has no wrapper script, so there's nothing to patch, and without it, the build fails. Maybe it could work if we added a new wrapper script, but I really don't understand what it's for and how to test it, so I didn't touch it - the previous Cursor package didn't have it.

[Prince213]

I think @aspauldingcode meant the home-manager option programs.vscode.enable, which currently accepts derivations such as vscode and vscodium. While I haven't tested that myself, it seems that it should be compatible.

[Prince213]

Briefly tested on x86_64-linux.

[Prince213]

@Zaczero Please update the PR title to include the version update.

[Zaczero]

@Zaczero Please update the PR title to include the version update.

I hope it's good now (I'm new to nixpkgs).

[quinn-dougherty]

I did

NIXPKGS_ALLOW_UNFREE=1 nix run github:Zaczero/nixpkgs/code-cursor-generic-package#code-cursor --impure

it built, launched, I tooled around in it a bit, then closed.

x86_64-linux. Briefly tested.

[aspauldingcode]

I did

NIXPKGS_ALLOW_UNFREE=1 nix run github:Zaczero/nixpkgs/code-cursor-generic-package#code-cursor --impure

it built, launched, I tooled around in it a bit, then closed.

x86_64-linux. Briefly tested.

Manually closed it? Or do you mean it crashed?

[aspauldingcode]

I think @aspauldingcode meant the home-manager option programs.vscode.enable, which currently accepts derivations such as vscode and vscodium. While I haven't tested that myself, it seems that it should be compatible.

That's what I meant, yea srry

[taha-yassine]

I think @aspauldingcode meant the home-manager option programs.vscode.enable, which currently accepts derivations such as vscode and vscodium. While I haven't tested that myself, it seems that it should be compatible.

It currently also accepts Cursor
https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager/blob/13a45ede6c17b5e923dfc18a40a3f646436f4809/modules/programs/vscode.nix#L32

[Prince213]

#414117 has been merged, please abandon the version bump commit.

[daviaaze]

Performance is quite better for me, and Worked without modifications on my config

[Zaczero]

#414117 has been merged, please abandon the version bump commit.

Done, I have taken this opportunity to keep the code-cursor package in its own directory as Windsurf does. This will now make all CI checks hopefully pass too.

[0xhckr]

with this change would we be able to do something along the lines of

programs.vscode = {
  enable = true;
  package = pkgs.code-cursor;
  extensions = with pkgs.vscode-extensions; [
    ...
  ];
};

[Zaczero]

@sarahec @qweered

I have set --update=false by default. I am going to assume this disables the update checks, but there is no documentation around it. --no-update was also used previously, but I am going to assume that it didn't work since --update=false was added later on in dc76202.

https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/compare/8f156e3a5c4df23218c2ebffd9e4ba8735a4e0e7..9749e6bf7664cfbdefc877578ef0c0e455c0da86

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Just for completeness in testing, can you say which desktop and x11 or Wayland?

My testing was done on Plasma X11. The VSCode generic builder seems to already take care of the Wayland support:

nixpkgs/pkgs/applications/editors/vscode/generic.nix

Line 293 in 9749e6b

--add-flags "\''${NIXOS_OZONE_WL:+\''${WAYLAND_DISPLAY:+--ozone-platform-hint=auto --enable-features=WaylandWindowDecorations --enable-wayland-ime=true}}"

As per GTK and Qt testing, I believe this is mostly handled by the application itself and not the packaging. Given that Cursor is based on VSCode, I think it will work just fine, especially since the generic builder is battle-tested across VSCode and its forks.

[JohnRTitor]

I can test on Wayland if necessary.

@sarahec let me know if darwin part is fixed and I can take a final look then and merge.

[sarahec]

@JohnRTitor LGTM on Darwin-aarch64. Built, ran from the command line.

[aspauldingcode]

Ty

changes addressed

[JohnRTitor]

nixpkgs-review result

Generated using nixpkgs-review.

Command: nixpkgs-review pr 413785
Commit: 9749e6bf7664cfbdefc877578ef0c0e455c0da86

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x86_64-linux

✅ 2 packages built:

• code-cursor
• code-cursor-fhs

[JohnRTitor]

I can test on Wayland if necessary.

Wayland works fine.

[JohnRTitor]

Humm, looks like eval reviewers is being cancelled because all reviewers have already left a review, but this is showing up as "failed".

https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/actions/runs/15634880254/job/44047693821?pr=413785

CC @wolfgangwalther I assume this is intended?

[Zaczero]

🎉

[wolfgangwalther]

CC @wolfgangwalther I assume this is intended?

Uhm, no, not intended. Seems like the label workflow cancelled the reviewer request workflow. Thanks for the ping, will fix.

[0xhckr]

So with these changes - we still install it as per usual via pkgs.code-cursor and nothing much else changes except we get better performance and the ability to open /etc/nixos using cursor + fhs cursor, right?

[Zaczero]

@hackr-sh Ye