ENVVAR

envVAR is a term used to refer to environment variables in computing contexts. An environment variable is a named value that can influence how running processes behave. Environment variables are stored as key-value pairs and are typically loaded into a process’s environment at startup, then inherited by child processes.

Environment variables provide runtime configuration without hard-coding values into applications. They are used to specify paths, user preferences, system settings, and behavioral flags. Because they travel with processes, they help ensure consistent behavior across components and environments.

Platform differences exist in how envVARs are created and accessed. In Unix-like systems, environment variables are usually case-sensitive and manipulated through shells (for example, export VAR=value and echo $VAR). In Windows, environment variables are managed with set or through the System Properties interface and tend to be case-insensitive. Common examples include PATH, HOME (or USERPROFILE on Windows), and TEMP. Some environments support value expansion or referencing other variables.

Management and best practices: envVAR values can be set at the shell, within container definitions, or in deployment manifests. They are commonly stored in .env files for development workflows or injected by orchestration systems in production. Secrets should be handled carefully; avoid placing sensitive data in plain envVARs when possible and use dedicated secret management solutions. When used, minimize exposure in logs and process listings.

See also: Environment variable, Dotenv, Configuration management, Secret management, Docker environment variables.