--- title: "More tips for environment variables and Netlify CLI | Netlify" description: "Realize the speed, agility and performance of a scalable, composable web architecture with Netlify. Explore the composable web platform now!" source: "https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/10/more-tips-for-environment-variables-and-netlify-cli/" last_updated: "2026-08-05T06:02:30.000Z" --- > Throughout December we’ll be [highlighting a different Netlify feature each day](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/01/highlighting-a-different-netlify-feature-each-day-in-december/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars). It might just be the thing you need to unlock those creative juices, and [dust off that domain](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/01/dusty-domains-your-forgotten-domains-raise-money-for-charity/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) you registered but never deployed! Keep an eye [on the blog](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/01/highlighting-a-different-netlify-feature-each-day-in-december/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) and on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/netlify) for each feature! As you’ll see [in this post](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/09/use-access-and-share-environment-variables-on-netlify/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars), Netlify supports environment variables in your projects (including centrally managed team environment variables for use across all of your team’s projects). A great feature of the [Netlify CLI](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/cli/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) is that it lets you manage your project’s environment variables without leaving your terminal, and can even make them available to your local development environment without the need for libraries or `.env` files. Here are a few tips. You’ll first need to make sure that you have the [Netlify CLI](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/cli/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) installed, and that you’ve linked your local project to a Netlify site. ``` # Install the Netlify CLI for use anywhere on your systemnpm install -g netlify-cli ``` ``` # Link your the current folder to an existing Netlify projectnetlify link # ...or create and link a new project in Netlifynetlify init ``` Now you can start managing the environment variables for the project. #### Create or update an environment variable ``` # Set the value of an environment variable, creating it if needednetlify env:set MY_ENV_VAR "some value" ``` #### Check the value of an environment variable ``` # Get the value of an environment variablenetlify env:get MY_ENV_VAR ``` #### Delete an environment variable ``` # Delete an environment variablesnetlify env:unset MY_ENV_VAR ``` #### Listing all environment variables ``` # List all the environment variables available to this projectnetlify env:list ``` #### Import environment variables from a file ``` # Import many environment variables from a local filenetlify env:import .env ``` #### Accessing environment variables during local development Here’s another place where [Netlify Dev](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/cli/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) (bundled as part of the Netlify CLI) really shines. When you use Netlify Dev to run your project, it will automatically make your environment variable available to your code with `process.env.VARIABLE_NAME`. Just the same as when the code runs in [Netlify Build](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/build/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) or your serverless [Netlify Functions](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/functions/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars). ``` # Detect, run, and your build,# with all of your environment variablesnetlify dev ``` ## More information - [Docs: Environment variables](https://docs.netlify.com/configure-builds/environment-variables/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars#declare-variables) - [Netlify CLI](https://www.netlify.com/platform/core/cli/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) - [Netlify Dev — our entire platform, right on your laptop](https://www.netlify.com/blog/2019/04/09/netlify-dev-our-entire-platform-right-on-your-laptop/?utm_campaign=featdaily21&utm_source=netlify&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=cli-env-vars) ### Share - [X (fka Twitter)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=More tips for environment variables and Netlify CLI&url=https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/10/more-tips-for-environment-variables-and-netlify-cli/) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.netlify.com%2Fblog%2F2021%2F12%2F10%2Fmore-tips-for-environment-variables-and-netlify-cli%2F) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/10/more-tips-for-environment-variables-and-netlify-cli/) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=More tips for environment variables and Netlify CLI+https://www.netlify.com/blog/2021/12/10/more-tips-for-environment-variables-and-netlify-cli/) * * * ### Tags - [Tips](/blog/tags/tips/) - [CLI](/blog/tags/cli/) - [Netlify Dev](/blog/tags/Netlify-Dev/) ## Keep reading ![](/images/blog-fallback-thumbnail.svg) Guides & Tutorials December 10, 2020 [ ### Environment variables in Next.js and Netlify ](/blog/2020/12/10/environment-variables-in-next.js-and-netlify/) - ![Profile picture of Cassidy Williams](/_astro/a62099fab0f946e063c4b84ff4b4d9c94f9aa7a5-400x400_ZdakPa.webp) Cassidy Williams ![](/images/blog-fallback-thumbnail.svg) Guides & Tutorials May 21, 2020 [ ### Localize your environment variables by context with build plugins ](/blog/2020/05/21/localize-your-environment-variables-by-context-with-build-plugins/) - ![Profile picture of Divya Tagtachian](/_astro/b9b198e6e1c100a667f1b9b97d1b39327587073f-80x80_Z2ehpic.webp) Divya Tagtachian ## Recent posts Opinions & Insights July 28, 2026 [ ### Open Weights and the 2nd World ](/blog/open-weights-and-the-2nd-world) - ![Profile picture of Mathias Biilmann](/_astro/f193d4707a6391d843d5aaa73338b5a5971ec5cc-960x960_1Yylqm.webp) Mathias Biilmann Tools & Services July 28, 2026 [ ### MCP goes stateless and extensible ](/blog/mcp-goes-stateless-and-extensible) - ![Profile picture of Sean Roberts](/_astro/bbf2243f8171dbddd80ab2103622106cef84d125-512x512_Z1d2LKE.webp) Sean Roberts News & Announcements July 28, 2026 [ ### New Netlify projects are now private by default ](/blog/new-netlify-projects-are-now-private-by-default) - ![Profile picture of Taylor Barnett-Torabi](/_astro/cf4624da8c1286738397b6fecb53bad504df140b-400x400_ZsvK0s.webp) Taylor Barnett-Torabi ![](/_astro/3f255b372fa958df35802666ee33b4609b2d71bd-1200x1586_1VtE2D.webp) ### How do the best dev and marketing teams work together? 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