> Portal Navigation:
> 
> - Append `.md` to any URL under `https://dev.wix.com/docs/` to get its markdown version.
> - Pages are either content pages (article or reference text) or menu pages (a list of links to child pages).
> - To get a menu page, truncate any URL to a parent path and append `.md` (e.g. `https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk.md`, `https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk/core-modules.md`).
> - Top-level index of all portals: https://dev.wix.com/docs/llms.txt
> - Full concatenated docs: https://dev.wix.com/docs/llms-full.txt

## Resource: About Environment Variables in the CLI

## Article: About Environment Variables in the CLI

## Article Link: https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/wix-managed-headless/project-development/environment-variables/about-environment-variables-in-the-cli.md

## Article Content:

# About Environment Variables in the CLI


Environment variables allow you to store configuration values and secrets outside of your code, making your applications more secure and portable. The Wix CLI uses [the built-in support in Astro for environment variables](https://docs.astro.build/en/guides/environment-variables/), providing type-safe environment variables that can be used in backend or client-side code.

This article explains the types of environment variables available in Wix CLI projects and when to use each type.

## Types of environment variables

The Wix CLI supports the following types of environment variables, each designed for specific use cases and security requirements.

| Type | Availability | Storage Location | Use case |
|------|--------------|------------------|----------|
| Public client variables | Client-side and backend | `.env.local` file | Non-sensitive configuration that needs to be accessed in the browser (for example, API endpoints, feature flags). |
| Public server variables | Backend only | `.env.local` file | Non-sensitive server configuration (for example, port numbers, timeouts). |
| Secret server variables | Backend only | Wix servers | Sensitive data like API keys, database credentials, and authentication tokens. These variables are securely stored on Wix servers and must be pulled to your local environment. |

### Secret server variables

Secret server variables are designed to ensure maximum security:

- Secret variables are set using the [`wix env set`](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/command-reference/project-commands/env-set.md) command and stored securely on Wix servers, not in your local `.env.local` file.
- To run your project locally with secret variables, you must pull them from Wix servers using the [`wix env pull`](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/command-reference/project-commands/env-pull.md) command. This downloads the secret variables to your local environment temporarily.
- Since secret variables aren't stored in your `.env.local` file, they're never at risk of being accidentally committed to your repository.

### Public variables on Wix servers

While public variables are typically stored in your `.env.local` file, you can also manage them using `wix env set` and `wix env pull`, similar to secret variables. This approach offers additional benefits:

- Store all environment variables on Wix servers instead of tracking them locally.
- Team members can sync variables without sharing `.env.local` files.
- Add `.env.local` to your `.gitignore` and pull variables when needed, eliminating the risk of accidentally committing sensitive configuration.

## See also

- [Manage Environment Variables](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/wix-managed-headless/develop-your-project/environment-variables/manage-environment-variables-in-the-cli.md)
- [Wix CLI Project Structure](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/guides/get-started/project-structure.md)
- [Astro Environment Variables Documentation](https://docs.astro.build/en/guides/environment-variables/)