git submodule imports

[bdj]

Describe the bug Using git submodules as imports in devenv.yaml results in an error.

To reproduce

1. Create a git repository
2. Add git submodules

git submodule add <BACKEND_URL> backend
git submodule add <FRONTEND_URL> frontend

4. Run devenv init
5. Change devenv.yaml https://gist.github.com/bdj/8cceb2af38c6a6cde33148619984aaf2
6. Run devenv shell

Fails with the following output https://gist.github.com/bdj/6275dd3c7f9ed85e800c0d17638ce9c0

Version devenv 1.0.1 (aarch64-darwin)

[loics2]

Is there anything new on this issue? Still there on devenv 1.3.1 (x86_64-linux)

[domenkozar]

Going to be addressed by #1548

[sandydoo]

https://github.com/cachix/devenv/pull/1928 adds support for inputs.self.submodules, but it's very broken, possibly because of lazy trees.

[domenkozar]

 /nix/store/ma2fs2a60gz04xsgxkdxqhqxxvinwn5h-nix-devenv-2.30.0pre20250626_afa41b0/bin/nix --extra-experimental-features flakes --option lazy-trees true --option warn-dirty false --keep-going --max-jobs 8 --option eval-cache false print-dev-env --profile /home/domen/dev/cachix/devenv/.devenv/gc/shell -vv --log-format internal-json
@nix {"action":"msg","level":4,"msg":"evaluating file '<nix/derivation-internal.nix>'"}
@nix {"action":"start","id":5924662571696128,"level":4,"parent":0,"text":"evaluating derivation 'git+file:///home/domen/dev/cachix/devenv#devShells.x86_64-linux.default'","type":0}
@nix {"action":"msg","level":4,"msg":"evaluating file '/home/domen/dev/cachix/devenv/.devenv.flake.nix'"}
nix: ../canon-path.cc:56: nix::CanonPath nix::CanonPath::removePrefix(const nix::CanonPath&) const: Assertion `isWithin(prefix)' failed.
Aborted (core dumped)

[voodooattack]

Any news on this? It's a real show-stopper for my use case.

[pbek]

Currently, you can still add the repo of the submodule as input and then import it from there, as described in https://devenv.sh/composing-using-imports/. But of course I'd also love to see to import from the submodule directly! ❤️

[domenkozar]

We're going to fix this one soon :)