> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.repocloud.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Environment Variables > Configure application behavior using environment variables on RepoCloud ## Using Environment Variables Environment variables are a powerful way to configure your applications without modifying code. They allow you to customize your application's behavior, store configuration settings, and manage sensitive information like API keys and database credentials. ## What Are Environment Variables? Environment variables are dynamic values that can affect the way running processes behave on a computer. In the context of containerized applications, they provide a way to: * Configure application settings * Store API keys and credentials * Toggle features on and off * Set configuration options * Define connection parameters ## Managing Environment Variables on RepoCloud RepoCloud makes it easy to set, update, and manage environment variables for your applications through a simple web interface. ### Accessing Environment Variables Go to your application's management page in the RepoCloud dashboard Click on the "Edit Env Vars" button You'll see a list of all currently configured environment variables ### Adding Environment Variables Access the Edit Env Vars section as described above Click the "Add Variable" button Enter the variable name (key) and its value Example: * Key: `DATABASE_URL` * Value: `mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/mydatabase` Click "Save" or "Apply Changes" to update your application's environment In most cases, your application will automatically restart to apply the new variables ### Editing and Deleting Variables Access the Edit Env Vars section Click the edit icon next to the variable you want to modify, then update its value Click the delete icon next to the variable you want to remove Click "Save" or "Apply Changes" to update your application's environment Changes to environment variables typically require an application restart to take effect. RepoCloud automatically handles this for most applications. ## Sensitive Information and Security Environment variables are commonly used to store sensitive information like API keys, passwords, and tokens. RepoCloud implements security measures to protect this data: * **Encryption**: Environment variable values are encrypted at rest * **Masked Display**: Sensitive values are masked in the interface (displayed as `••••••••`) * **Access Control**: Only authorized users can view and modify environment variables * **No Logging**: Sensitive values are not written to application logs Despite these precautions, you should never store extremely sensitive secrets (like private keys) as environment variables. For such cases, consider using a dedicated secrets management solution. ## Common Environment Variables Different applications use different environment variables, but some common categories include: Variables that define how your application connects to a database: ``` DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@hostname:port/database DB_HOST=hostname DB_USER=username DB_PASSWORD=password DB_NAME=database ``` Variables for third-party service integration: ``` API_KEY=your_api_key_here AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your_access_key AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your_secret_key STRIPE_API_KEY=sk_test_abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ``` Variables that control application behavior: ``` DEBUG=true LOG_LEVEL=info CACHE_TTL=3600 FEATURE_X_ENABLED=true ``` Variables for email service configuration: ``` SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com SMTP_PORT=587 SMTP_USER=user@example.com SMTP_PASSWORD=password ``` ## Application-Specific Variables Each application has its own set of supported environment variables. Here are examples for some popular applications: Common WordPress configuration variables: ``` WORDPRESS_DB_HOST=mysql_host WORDPRESS_DB_USER=db_user WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD=db_password WORDPRESS_DB_NAME=wordpress WORDPRESS_TABLE_PREFIX=wp_ ``` Common Node.js application variables: ``` NODE_ENV=production PORT=3000 SESSION_SECRET=your_session_secret CORS_ORIGIN=https://example.com ``` PostgreSQL configuration variables: ``` POSTGRES_USER=postgres POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password POSTGRES_DB=mydb PGDATA=/var/lib/postgresql/data ``` Check your application's documentation to understand which environment variables are available and what they do. Many applications include a list of supported variables in their documentation. ## Best Practices Follow these best practices when working with environment variables: 1. **Use descriptive names**: Choose clear, descriptive names for your variables 2. **Separate development and production**: Use different values for development and production environments 3. **Document your variables**: Keep a record of what each variable does and why it's needed 4. **Minimize sensitive data**: Only store sensitive information in environment variables when necessary 5. **Use standard formats**: Follow established formats for connection strings and other structured data 6. **Avoid hardcoding**: Never hardcode values that should be configurable in your application code ## Troubleshooting If your application doesn't recognize environment variables: * Verify the variable name is correct (including case) * Ensure the application has restarted after changes * Check application logs for environment-related errors * Verify the application is designed to use the variables you're setting Some common syntax issues: * Avoid spaces around the equals sign (use `KEY=value`, not `KEY = value`) * Be careful with quotes (some values may need to be quoted) * Watch for special characters that might need escaping If changes don't seem to apply: * Manually restart the application after changing variables * Check if the application caches configuration and needs a specific refresh * Verify you've saved the changes in the dashboard ## Next Steps Learn how to scale your application resources Keep your application updated with the latest features and security patches Resolve common issues with your RepoCloud applications