devenv

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Score7.3

Rank#2 of 51

PriceFree

Free planYes

Runs onLinux, macOS, Web, Windows

Summary

devenv uses Nix to describe development environments that teams can reproduce across projects and CI. A project configuration can specify packages, languages, services, tasks, secrets, variables, files, and shell scripts. The site lists 58 supported languages and 42 preconfigured services, including PostgreSQL, Redis, MySQL, RabbitMQ, and Elasticsearch. Processes can be supervised with dependencies and restarts, while tasks can run in parallel and integrate with shells or commits. SecretSpec can read declared secrets from sources such as Keychain, 1Password, LastPass, dotenv, and environment variables. devenv can build OCI containers and run integration tests with its processes active, and documentation describes GitHub Actions support for checks, builds, and tests. It requires Nix and works on Linux, macOS, and WSL. As of devenv 2.4, it no longer builds, tests, or releases for Intel Macs. Projects must be trusted before automatic activation. The software is free and MIT licensed; devenv Cloud is in private beta.

Who it is for

devenv suits teams and CI users who want environment configuration defined in code and reproducible across projects. Users need Nix, and Intel Mac users should note the stated support limit.

What is good

Configuration can declare packages, languages, and services.
Supports supervised processes and parallel tasks.
Can build OCI containers and run integration tests.
Free and MIT licensed.

What to know first

Requires Nix.
No longer builds, tests, or releases for Intel Macs.
Cloud service is in private beta.

Verdict

devenv provides configurable development environments, processes, and CI support, with a broad set of listed languages and services. Its Nix requirement and Intel Mac limitation are important fit considerations.

devenv plans and pricing

All plans

Free (MIT-licensed open source) Free Requires Nix; works on Linux, macOS, and WSL devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026

Compared on development environment managers

Free plan: Yesdevenv.sh
Runtime management: Yesdevenv.sh
Dependency locking: Yesdevenv.sh
Configuration as code: Yesdevenv.sh
Shell integration: Yesdevenv.sh
Container support: Yesdevenv.sh

Facts

Purpose: devenv uses Nix to define fast, declarative, reproducible development environments for teams and CI.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Configuration: A project can declare packages, languages, services, tasks, secrets, and tooling in its environment configuration.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Languages and services: The site lists 58 supported languages and 42 preconfigured services.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Processes and tasks: It supports supervised processes with dependencies and restarts, plus tasks that can run in parallel and integrate with shells or commits.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Secrets: SecretSpec can read declared secrets from sources including Keychain, 1Password, LastPass, dotenv, and environment variables.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Integrations: The documentation includes integrations such as direnv, SecretSpec, GitHub CI, and an MCP server for AI assistants.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Supported systems: The install instructions say devenv works on Linux, macOS, and WSL after Nix is installed.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Intel Mac limit: As of devenv 2.4, the project says it no longer builds, tests, or releases devenv for Intel Macs.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Security: Projects must be explicitly trusted before auto-activation, which the documentation describes as protection against untrusted projects modifying the shell.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
License and support: The homepage describes devenv as MIT licensed and points users to GitHub issues and Discord for contribution and help.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Cloud availability: devenv Cloud is described as being in private beta with early access sign-up.devenv.sh · 29 Sept 2026
Languages: The homepage lists 58 languages, with version pinning and language server support.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Services: The homepage lists 42 preconfigured services, including PostgreSQL, Redis, MySQL, RabbitMQ, MinIO, Caddy, and Elasticsearch.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Environment tools: A devenv configuration can declare packages, variables, files, and scripts for bash, zsh, fish, or nushell.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Containers and tests: Devenv can build OCI containers from a development environment and run integration tests with its processes active.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
CI integration: The documentation describes using devenv in GitHub Actions to run checks, builds, and tests in the development environment.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Editor and tool integrations: The documentation navigation lists integrations for IntelliJ, VS Code, Zed, direnv, GitHub Actions, and several other tools.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Startup speed: The homepage says cached shell startup is under 100 ms after the first build.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Platform requirements: The homepage says devenv requires Nix and works on Linux, macOS, and WSL.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Cloud status: The devenv Cloud page says the service is in private beta and invites users to sign up for early access.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026
Support and community: The homepage links to GitHub for source, issues, and contributions, and to Discord for help and community discussion.devenv.sh · 30 Sept 2026