What Environment Variable Meaning, Applications & Example
System-level configuration settings for AI applications.
What is an Environment Variable?
An Environment Variable is a key-value pair in a system’s environment that stores configuration information, such as application settings, API keys, or database credentials. It allows applications to access dynamic configuration values without hardcoding sensitive data, promoting security and flexibility.
Types of Environment Variables
- System Variables: Predefined by the operating system (e.g.,
PATH,HOME). - User-defined Variables: Custom variables set by users or applications (e.g.,
API_KEY,DB_URL).
Applications of Environment Variables
- Cloud Deployment: Store sensitive information like database passwords securely.
- Local Development: Set up different configurations for development, testing, and production environments.
- Continuous Integration (CI): Use in CI/CD pipelines for dynamic configuration management.
Example of an Environment Variable
An example of an environment variable is DATABASE_URL, which stores the database connection string. This variable allows applications to connect to the database without exposing credentials in the source code, facilitating safer deployment across various environments.