DIRENV(1) User Manuals DIRENV(1)NAMEdirenv - unclutter your .profile
SYNOPSISdirenv command ...
DESCRIPTIONdirenv is an environment variable manager for your shell. It knows how
to hook into bash, zsh and fish shell to load or unload environment
variables depending on your current directory. This allows to have
project-specific environment variables and not clutter the "~/.profile"
file.
Before each prompt it checks for the existence of an ".envrc" file in
the current and parent directories. If the file exists, it is loaded
into a bash sub-shell and all exported variables are then captured by
direnv and then made available to your current shell.
Because direnv is compiled into a single static executable it is fast
enough to be unnoticeable on each prompt. It is also language agnostic
and can be used to build solutions similar to rbenv, pyenv, phpenv, ...
EXAMPLE
$ cd ~/my_project
$ echo ${FOO-nope}
nope
$ echo export FOO=foo > .envrc
.envrc is not allowed
$ direnv allow .
direnv: reloading
direnv: loading .envrc
direnv export: +FOO
$ echo ${FOO-nope}
foo
$ cd ..
direnv: unloading
direnv export: ~PATH
$ echo ${FOO-nope}
nope
SETUP
For direnv to work properly it needs to be hooked into the shell. Each
shell has it's own extension mechanism:
BASH
Add the following line at the end of your "~/.bashrc" file:
eval "$(direnv hook bash)"
Make sure it appears even after rvm, git-prompt and other shell exten‐
sions that manipulate your prompt.
ZSH
Add the following line at the end of you "~/.zshrc" file:
eval "$(direnv hook zsh)"
FISH
Add the following line at the end of your "~/.config/fish/config.fish"
file:
eval (direnv hook fish)
TCSH
Add the following line at the end of your "~/.cshrc" file:
eval `direnv hook tcsh`
USAGE
In some target folder, create an ".envrc" file and add some export(1)
directives in it.
On the next prompt you will notice that direnv complains about the
".envrc" being blocked. This is the security mechanism to avoid loading
new files automatically. Otherwise any git repo that you pull, or tar
archive that you unpack, would be able to wipe your hard drive once you
cd into it.
So here we are pretty sure that it won't do anything bad. Type direnv
allow . and watch direnv loading your new environment. Note that
direnv edit . is a handy shortcut that open the file in your $EDITOR
and automatically allows it if the file's modification time has
changed.
Now that the environment is loaded you can notice that once you cd out
of the directory it automatically gets unloaded. If you cd back into it
it's loaded again. That's the base of the mechanism that allows you to
build cool things.
Exporting variables by hand is a bit repetitive so direnv provides a
set of utility functions that are made available in the context of the
".envrc" file. Check the direnv-stdlib(1) man page for more details.
You can also define your own extensions inside a "~/.direnvrc" file.
Hopefully this is enough to get you started.
CONTRIBUTE
Bug reports, contributions and forks are welcome.
All bugs or other forms of discussion happen on
⟨http://github.com/zimbatm/direnv/issues⟩
There is also a wiki available where you can share your usage patterns
or other tips and tricks ⟨https://github.com/zimbatm/direnv/wiki⟩
Or drop by on the #direnv channel on FreeNode ⟨irc://#direnv@FreeNode⟩
to have a chat.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright (C) 2014 zimbatm and contributors under the MIT licence.
SEE ALSOdirenv-stdlib(1)direnv APRIL 2014 DIRENV(1)
