e.g. with nix installed, you'll be able to use the nix-shell to get the development dependencies without having to install system wide, if a shell.nix or flake.nix has been written for it. (e.g. for repos like https://github.com/helix-editor/helix).
You'll be able to use the `nix shell` command to try out a program without needing it installed system wide. Or you can figure out how to write your own nix-shells etc.
I think Home Manager is worth trying only once you're otherwise familiar with Nix (or if you find a good config to copy-paste from, though), since Nix's error messages and debugging still aren't great.
https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager
I use it on NixOS. It should absolutely work on other distros unfortunately I don't have any first hand experience with that or with what the best way is to set it up on other distos (I think there are few options for how to do it).
I'm curious about your phrasing. In idiomatic English, this says "there are _not many_ options", IOW options are limited. It emphasizes the constraints. OTOH had you written "there are _a_ few options", it'd emphasize the existence of more than one option, with a positive connotation.
From context I infer you meant the latter, is that right?
I meant to write 'a few options'.