direnv ☆

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Description:
Load/unload environment variables based on $PWD

Type: Formula | Latest Version: 2.37.1@0 | Tracked Since: Dec 17, 2025

Links: Homepage | @direnv | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: environment shell development automation productivity

Install: brew install direnv

About:
direnv is a shell extension that loads and unloads environment variables depending on your current working directory. It allows you to create per-project environment profiles without complex setup scripts. This improves developer workflow by automatically switching tools, credentials, and paths as you navigate between projects.

Key Features:

Automatic environment loading on directory change
Supports bash, zsh, fish, and tcsh
Simple .envrc file configuration
Secure by design (explicit allow required)
Lightweight with no background processes

Use Cases:

Managing different Python/Node versions per project
Setting API keys and credentials per repository
Switching database configurations between dev/staging/prod
Defining project-specific PATH variables

Alternatives:

autoenv – Simpler but less secure and feature-rich
asdf – Focuses on version management, broader scope than env vars
virtualenv – Python-specific, doesn't handle general environment variables

License: MIT

Dependencies: bash

Bottles available for: arm64_tahoe, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, arm64_linux, x86_64_linux

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 15, 2025 3:43am		0	VERSION_BUMP	2c812d9d
Sep 13, 2025 7:03pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	cf565317