diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
index 3d4ddbc9..1530103c 100644
--- a/.envrc
+++ b/.envrc
@@ -2,4 +2,10 @@ if ! has nix_direnv_version || ! nix_direnv_version 3.0.4; then
   source_url "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nix-community/nix-direnv/3.0.4/direnvrc" "sha256-DzlYZ33mWF/Gs8DDeyjr8mnVmQGx7ASYqA5WlxwvBG4="
 fi
 
-use flake
+watch_file .direnv/selected-shell
+
+if [ -e .direnv/selected-shell ]; then
+  use flake .#$(cat .direnv/selected-shell)
+else
+  use flake
+fi
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 45c1270c..f600dbd7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,3 +21,8 @@ We welcome contributions from the community, and we've prepared a comprehensive
 - **Contribution Guidelines**: Find out how to contribute and make a meaningful impact on the cLAN project by reading [contributing.md](docs/contributing/contributing.md).
 
 Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned developer, we look forward to your contributions and collaboration on the cLAN project. Let's build amazing things together!
+
+
+### development environment
+Setup `direnv` and `nix-direnv` and execute `dienv allow`.
+To switch between different dev environments execute `select-shell`.
diff --git a/devShell-python.nix b/devShell-python.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d0a5b935
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devShell-python.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+{
+  perSystem =
+    { pkgs
+    , self'
+    , lib
+    , ...
+    }:
+    let
+      python3 = pkgs.python3;
+      pypkgs = python3.pkgs;
+      clan-cli = self'.packages.clan-cli;
+      clan-vm-manager = self'.packages.clan-vm-manager;
+      pythonWithDeps = python3.withPackages (
+        ps:
+        clan-cli.propagatedBuildInputs
+        ++ clan-cli.devDependencies
+        ++ [
+          ps.pip
+          # clan-vm-manager deps
+          ps.pygobject3
+        ]
+      );
+      linuxOnlyPackages = lib.optionals pkgs.stdenv.isLinux [
+        pkgs.xdg-utils
+      ];
+    in
+    {
+      devShells.python = pkgs.mkShell {
+        inputsFrom = [ self'.devShells.default ];
+        packages =
+          [
+            pythonWithDeps
+            pypkgs.mypy
+            pypkgs.ipdb
+            pkgs.desktop-file-utils
+            pkgs.gtk4.dev
+            pkgs.ruff
+            pkgs.libadwaita.devdoc # has the demo called 'adwaita-1-demo'
+          ]
+          ++ linuxOnlyPackages
+          ++ clan-vm-manager.nativeBuildInputs
+          ++ clan-vm-manager.buildInputs
+          ++ clan-cli.nativeBuildInputs;
+
+        PYTHONBREAKPOINT = "ipdb.set_trace";
+
+        shellHook = ''
+          ln -sfT ${clan-cli.nixpkgs} ./pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/nixpkgs
+
+          ## PYTHON
+
+          tmp_path=$(realpath ./.direnv)
+          repo_root=$(realpath .)
+          mkdir -p "$tmp_path/python/${pythonWithDeps.sitePackages}"
+
+          # local dependencies
+          localPackages=(
+            $repo_root/pkgs/clan-cli
+            $repo_root/pkgs/clan-vm-manager
+          )
+
+          # Install the package in editable mode
+          # This allows executing `clan` from within the dev-shell using the current
+          # version of the code and its dependencies.
+          # TODO: this is slow. get rid of pip or add better caching
+          echo "==== Installing local python packages in editable mode ===="
+          for package in "''${localPackages[@]}"; do
+            ${pythonWithDeps}/bin/pip install \
+              --quiet \
+              --disable-pip-version-check \
+              --no-index \
+              --no-build-isolation \
+              --prefix "$tmp_path/python" \
+              --editable "$package"
+          done
+
+          export PATH="$tmp_path/python/bin:$PATH"
+          export PYTHONPATH="''${PYTHONPATH:+$PYTHONPATH:}$tmp_path/python/${pythonWithDeps.sitePackages}"
+          # export PYTHONPATH="$tmp_path/python/${pythonWithDeps.sitePackages}"
+
+          for package in "''${localPackages[@]}"; do
+            export PYTHONPATH="$package:$PYTHONPATH"
+          done
+
+          if ! command -v xdg-mime &> /dev/null; then
+            echo "Warning: 'xdg-mime' is not available. The desktop file cannot be installed."
+          fi
+
+          # install desktop file
+          set -eou pipefail
+          DESKTOP_FILE_NAME=lol.clan.vm.manager.desktop
+          DESKTOP_DST=~/.local/share/applications/$DESKTOP_FILE_NAME
+          DESKTOP_SRC=${clan-vm-manager.desktop-file}/share/applications/$DESKTOP_FILE_NAME
+          UI_BIN="clan-vm-manager"
+
+          cp -f $DESKTOP_SRC $DESKTOP_DST
+          sleep 2
+          sed -i "s|Exec=.*clan-vm-manager|Exec=$UI_BIN|" $DESKTOP_DST
+          xdg-mime default $DESKTOP_FILE_NAME  x-scheme-handler/clan
+          echo "==== Validating desktop file installation   ===="
+          set -x
+          desktop-file-validate $DESKTOP_DST
+          set +xeou pipefail
+        '';
+      };
+    };
+}
diff --git a/devShell.nix b/devShell.nix
index ef377370..ea8fa79d 100644
--- a/devShell.nix
+++ b/devShell.nix
@@ -4,9 +4,28 @@
     , self'
     , config
     , ...
-    }: {
+    }:
+    let
+      writers = pkgs.callPackage ./pkgs/builders/script-writers.nix { };
+
+      ansiEscapes = {
+        reset = ''\033[0m'';
+        green = ''\033[32m'';
+      };
+
+      # a python program using argparse to enable and disable dev shells
+      # synopsis: select-shell enable|disable shell-name
+      # enabled devshells are written as a newline separated list into ./.direnv/selected-shells
+      select-shell = writers.writePython3Bin "select-shell"
+        {
+          flakeIgnore = [ "E501" ];
+        } ./pkgs/scripts/select-shell.py;
+    in
+    {
       devShells.default = pkgs.mkShell {
+        # inputsFrom = [ self'.devShells.python ];
         packages = [
+          select-shell
           pkgs.tea
           self'.packages.tea-create-pr
           self'.packages.merge-after-ci
@@ -17,6 +36,8 @@
         shellHook = ''
           # no longer used
           rm -f "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/.git/hooks/pre-commit"
+
+          echo -e "${ansiEscapes.green}switch to another dev-shell using: select-shell${ansiEscapes.reset}"
         '';
       };
     };
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 41b87450..14c799a7 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
       imports = [
         ./checks/flake-module.nix
         ./devShell.nix
+        ./devShell-python.nix
         ./formatter.nix
         ./templates/flake-module.nix
         ./clanModules/flake-module.nix
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml b/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
index eb046085..26eec53a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ dynamic = ["version"]
 scripts = { clan = "clan_cli:main" }
 
 [tool.setuptools.packages.find]
-exclude = ["clan_cli.nixpkgs*"]
+exclude = ["clan_cli.nixpkgs*", "result"]
 
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
 clan_cli = ["config/jsonschema/*", "webui/assets/**/*", "vms/mimetypes/**/*"]
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/default.nix b/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/default.nix
index 3923b0a2..dbcf52ba 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/default.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@
 }:
 let
   source = ./.;
+  desktop-file = makeDesktopItem {
+    name = "lol.clan.vm.manager";
+    exec = "clan-vm-manager %u";
+    icon = ./clan_vm_manager/assets/clan_white.png;
+    desktopName = "cLAN Manager";
+    startupWMClass = "clan";
+    mimeTypes = [ "x-scheme-handler/clan" ];
+  };
 in
 python3.pkgs.buildPythonApplication {
   name = "clan-vm-manager";
@@ -36,15 +44,18 @@ python3.pkgs.buildPythonApplication {
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ pygobject3 clan-cli ];
 
   # also re-expose dependencies so we test them in CI
-  passthru.tests = {
-    clan-vm-manager-no-breakpoints = runCommand "clan-vm-manager-no-breakpoints" { } ''
-      if grep --include \*.py -Rq "breakpoint()" ${source}; then
-        echo "breakpoint() found in ${source}:"
-        grep --include \*.py -Rn "breakpoint()" ${source}
-        exit 1
-      fi
-      touch $out
-    '';
+  passthru = {
+    inherit desktop-file;
+    tests = {
+      clan-vm-manager-no-breakpoints = runCommand "clan-vm-manager-no-breakpoints" { } ''
+        if grep --include \*.py -Rq "breakpoint()" ${source}; then
+          echo "breakpoint() found in ${source}:"
+          grep --include \*.py -Rn "breakpoint()" ${source}
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        touch $out
+      '';
+    };
   };
 
   # Don't leak python packages into a devshell.
@@ -56,13 +67,6 @@ python3.pkgs.buildPythonApplication {
     PYTHONPATH= $out/bin/clan-vm-manager --help
   '';
   desktopItems = [
-    (makeDesktopItem {
-      name = "lol.clan.vm.manager";
-      exec = "clan-vm-manager %u";
-      icon = ./clan_vm_manager/assets/clan_white.png;
-      desktopName = "cLAN Manager";
-      startupWMClass = "clan";
-      mimeTypes = [ "x-scheme-handler/clan" ];
-    })
+    desktop-file
   ];
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/pyproject.toml b/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/pyproject.toml
index b2116366..800b4661 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pkgs/clan-vm-manager/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ name = "clan-vm-manager"
 dynamic = ["version"]
 scripts = { clan-vm-manager = "clan_vm_manager:main" }
 
+[tool.setuptools.packages.find]
+exclude = ["result"]
+
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
 clan_vm_manager = ["**/assets/*"]
 
diff --git a/pkgs/scripts/select-shell.py b/pkgs/scripts/select-shell.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2542d9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/scripts/select-shell.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import argparse
+import json
+import pathlib
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Select a devshell")
+parser.add_argument("shell", help="the name of the devshell to select", nargs="?")
+parser.add_argument("--list", action="store_true", help="list available devshells")
+args = parser.parse_args()
+
+selected_shell_file = pathlib.Path(".direnv/selected-shell")
+
+if not args.list and not args.shell:
+    parser.print_help()
+    exit(0)
+if args.list:
+    flake_show = subprocess.run(
+        ["nix", "flake", "show", "--json", "--no-write-lock-file"],
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+    )
+    data = json.loads(flake_show.stdout.decode())
+    print("Available devshells:")
+    print("\n".join(data["devShells"]["x86_64-linux"].keys()))
+    exit(0)
+if selected_shell_file.exists():
+    with open(selected_shell_file) as f:
+        current_shell = f.read().strip()
+else:
+    current_shell = ""
+
+if current_shell == args.shell:
+    print(f"{args.shell} devshell already selected. No changes made.")
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+with open(selected_shell_file, "w") as f:
+    f.write(args.shell)
+
+print(f"{args.shell} devshell selected")