diff --git a/.cspell.json b/.cspell.json
index 6d90d413..3216fc9b 100644
--- a/.cspell.json
+++ b/.cspell.json
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     "mkdir",
     "mypy",
     "oneline",
+    "pixi",
     "pytest",
     "PYTHONHASHSEED",
     "rtoml",
@@ -71,6 +72,8 @@
     "colab",
     "commitlint",
     "conda",
+    "direnv",
+    "envrc",
     "fromdict",
     "indentless",
     "ipynb",
diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cce3aa58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.envrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+layout anaconda
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index a6e7435d..8fd9d604 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
   "python.analysis.autoImportCompletions": false,
   "python.analysis.inlayHints.pytestParameters": true,
   "python.analysis.typeCheckingMode": "strict",
+  "python.terminal.activateEnvironment": false,
   "python.testing.pytestArgs": ["--color=no", "--no-cov", "-vv"],
   "python.testing.pytestEnabled": true,
   "python.testing.unittestEnabled": false,
diff --git a/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/__init__.py b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/__init__.py
index 9bceadfb..2e9d05e5 100644
--- a/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/__init__.py
+++ b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     conda,
     cspell,
     dependabot,
+    direnv,
     editorconfig,
     github_labels,
     github_workflows,
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ def main(argv: Sequence[str] | None = None) -> int:
         do(conda.main, dev_python_version)
         do(cspell.main, precommit_config, args.no_cspell_update)
         do(dependabot.main, args.dependabot)
+        do(direnv.main)
         do(editorconfig.main, precommit_config, args.no_python)
         if not args.allow_labels:
             do(github_labels.main)
diff --git a/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/direnv.py b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/direnv.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae267024
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/direnv.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+"""Update the :file:`.envrc` file for `direnv <https://direnv.net/>`_."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from textwrap import dedent
+
+from compwa_policy.errors import PrecommitError
+from compwa_policy.utilities import CONFIG_PATH
+from compwa_policy.utilities.pyproject import Pyproject
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    if (
+        CONFIG_PATH.pixi_lock.exists()
+        or CONFIG_PATH.pixi_toml.exists()
+        or (CONFIG_PATH.pyproject.exists() and Pyproject.load().has_table("tool.pixi"))
+    ):
+        _update_envrc("""
+        watch_file pixi.lock
+        eval "$(pixi shell-hook)"
+        """)
+    elif CONFIG_PATH.conda.exists():
+        _update_envrc("layout anaconda")
+
+
+def _update_envrc(expected: str) -> None:
+    expected = dedent(expected).strip() + "\n"
+    existing = __get_existing_envrc()
+    if existing == expected:
+        return
+    with open(".envrc", "w") as f:
+        f.write(expected)
+    msg = "Updated .envrc for direnv"
+    raise PrecommitError(msg)
+
+
+def __get_existing_envrc() -> str | None:
+    if not CONFIG_PATH.envrc.exists():
+        return None
+    with open(CONFIG_PATH.envrc) as f:
+        return f.read()
diff --git a/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/vscode.py b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/vscode.py
index 4afa3897..ea7c1403 100644
--- a/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/vscode.py
+++ b/src/compwa_policy/check_dev_files/vscode.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import os
 
-from compwa_policy.utilities import vscode
+from compwa_policy.utilities import CONFIG_PATH, vscode
 from compwa_policy.utilities.executor import Executor
 
 
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ def _update_settings(has_notebooks: bool) -> None:
         if has_notebooks:
             do(_update_notebook_settings)
         do(_update_pytest_settings)
+        if CONFIG_PATH.envrc.exists():
+            do(vscode.update_settings, {"python.terminal.activateEnvironment": False})
 
 
 def _remove_outdated_settings() -> None:
diff --git a/src/compwa_policy/utilities/__init__.py b/src/compwa_policy/utilities/__init__.py
index 8317e1af..6d199336 100644
--- a/src/compwa_policy/utilities/__init__.py
+++ b/src/compwa_policy/utilities/__init__.py
@@ -22,12 +22,15 @@ class _ConfigFilePaths(NamedTuple):
     conda: Path = Path("environment.yml")
     cspell: Path = Path(".cspell.json")
     editorconfig: Path = Path(".editorconfig")
+    envrc: Path = Path(".envrc")
     github_workflow_dir: Path = Path(".github/workflows")
     gitpod: Path = Path(".gitpod.yml")
     pip_constraints: Path = Path(".constraints")
+    pixi_lock: Path = Path("pixi.lock")
+    pixi_toml: Path = Path("pixi.toml")
     precommit: Path = Path(".pre-commit-config.yaml")
-    prettier: Path = Path(".prettierrc")
     prettier_ignore: Path = Path(".prettierignore")
+    prettier: Path = Path(".prettierrc")
     pyproject: Path = Path("pyproject.toml")
     pytest_ini: Path = Path("pytest.ini")
     readme: Path = Path("README.md")