While using `nix-env` or `nix profile` (the new way) are very homebrew-like a huge reason to use Nix is that it is more than a package manager.

Things like nix-darwin and home-manager allow you to decoratively define your system config and dotfiles. Because it is a language you can override things in same place you're defining what packages or etc you want.

And if you start using `direnv` with it's flakes plugin (enabled by default when installed using home-manager!) you can define a flake.nix which will keep a lock file independent of your system's/configuration's that means anyone with Nix installed should be able to activate a native dev environment with the exact versions of node, python, rust, pnpm, etc. ready to go.

It's quite powerful once you become familiar with how to use it.