Docs that explain how import works is missing some context

[itsfarseen]

Problem

Here's the documentation for import: https://nix.dev/manual/nix/2.24/language/builtins.html#builtins-import

It says the argumen to the import function has to be a path.

Counter example:

#flake.nix
{
  description = "Hello world flake";
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs = {
      url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    };
  };
  outputs = { self, nixpkgs }: {
    debug = {
      nixpkgs = nixpkgs;
    };
  };
}

❯ nix repl
Nix 2.26.3
Type :? for help.
nix-repl> :lf .
Added 9 variables.

nix-repl> builtins.typeOf debug.nixpkgs
"set"

nix-repl> foo = import debug.nixpkgs {}

How does this work?

Proposal

Checklist

• checked latest Nix manual (source)
• checked open documentation issues and pull requests for possible duplicates

---

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[Mic92]

Flake inputs are special in the sense that they can be automatically coerced to a path as needed.
So it behaves like a set if you access i.e. debug.nixpkgs.rev but it also can be converted to a string i.e "${debug.nixpkgs}" and used in the import command.