| name | setup-devenv |
| description | Per-language runtime version managers (fnm, uv, rustup) plus the vanilla-direnv .envrc pattern (layout python, use fnm, PATH_add, dotenv, source_up) for project dev environments. Use when bootstrapping a project's local toolchain, choosing a version manager, or writing a project .envrc. For chezmoi-managed pinned installer scripts and the tracked dot_envrc.project.example template, use setup-devenv-with-chezmoi.
|
| allowed-tools | Read, Grep, Glob |
| metadata | {"title":"Per-Language Dev Environments","category":"cli","order":0} |
Per-Language Dev Environments
Philosophy
System-installed CLIs (git, gh, fzf, jq, kubectl, terraform, ...) come from Homebrew on macOS or apt/dnf/pacman on Linux. Per-language runtime versions come from the best-in-class tool for that language. No polyglot abstraction layer.
Runtime version managers
| Language | Tool | Project pin | Notes |
|---|
| Node | fnm | .nvmrc | eval "$(fnm env --use-on-cd)" in shell rc auto-switches |
| Python | uv | .python-version + pyproject.toml | uv venv + uv sync |
| Rust | rustup | rust-toolchain.toml | Auto-installs the pinned channel |
| Go | system go | go.mod go directive | One toolchain per machine usually fine |
| Lua | system lua | n/a | Pin via Brewfile/apt |
.envrc patterns (vanilla direnv, no nix-direnv)
The standard direnv idioms cover most needs:
layout python
use fnm
PATH_add bin
dotenv
source_up
For a working template, see the chezmoi-tracked ~/.local/share/chezmoi/dot_envrc.project.example (renders to ~/.envrc.project.example); see setup-devenv-with-chezmoi for the chezmoi plumbing. If you are not on chezmoi, copy the idioms above directly into your project .envrc.
When to add an upstream installer
Adopt a one-shot installer script (e.g. a chezmoi run_onchange_after_install-<tool>.sh.tmpl, a Brewfile entry, or a Nix derivation) with a pinned version when:
- The tool ships security/auth fixes faster than distro repos can package them (gcloud, aws-cli)
- The vendor distributes only via their own installer with no version-arg support (Snowflake Cortex)
- Reproducibility across machines matters more than the convenience of
brew upgrade
Mirror the structure of run_onchange_after_install-cloud-clis.sh.tmpl or run_onchange_after_install-cortex.sh.tmpl. Pin the version at the top in ALL_CAPS, install to ~/.local/share/<tool>/<version>/, symlink into ~/.local/bin.
When NOT to add a polyglot version manager
asdf / mise / rtx solve the problem of "I want one config to pin Node + Python + Go + Rust." If the per-language tools above already cover your needs without that abstraction, don't add it. Polyglot managers add another layer of indirection (shims, plugin updates, slower shell startup). Only adopt one when project pinning matters across enough languages to outweigh that cost.
