Environment variables are key-value pairs configured outside your source code to allow values to change based on the environment. These values are encrypted at rest and accessible to users with project access, making them safe for both sensitive and non-sensitive data, such as tokens.

Table of Contents

1. Conceptual Overview
2. Creating Environment Variables
3. Size Limits
4. Environments
5. Using Environment Variables
6. Integration with Other Tools

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Conceptual Overview

Environment variables are essential for flexible application behavior, allowing configurations to change without altering source code. They are particularly useful during builds and function executions.

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Creating Environment Variables

Variables can be defined at the team or project level:

• Team-level: Accessible across all projects in the team.
• Project-level: Accessible only within a specific project.

For more details, refer to Managing Environment Variables.

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Size Limits

Esadax supports environment variables up to 64KB per deployment:

• Total size includes all variables configured via dashboard or CLI.
• No single variable can exceed 64KB.
• Edge Functions and Middleware are limited to 5KB per variable.

Supported runtimes include Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, Java (11+), .NET, PHP, and custom runtimes via Build Output API.

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Environments

Variables can be applied to specific environments:

1. Production: Applied to next deployment on the Production branch.
2. Preview: Applied to deployments from non-Production branches.
3. Development: Used locally with esadax dev.

To apply variables selectively, use the CLI or manage branch-specific overrides.

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Using Environment Variables

• Local Development: Defined in .env.local files or pulled using esadax env pull.
• Integration: Automatically added via third-party tools like MongoDB.
• Edge Functions: Limited to 5KB per variable.

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Integration with Other Tools

Environment variables can be integrated with various tools and services, ensuring consistent configurations across different platforms.

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Conclusion

Esadax's environment variables provide a secure and efficient way to manage application configurations. By leveraging team or project-level settings, you can optimize performance and flexibility across multiple environments.