An environment variable is a user-definable value that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer
. It is made up of a name/value pair and can be used to affect and change the way applications run
. Environment variables are part of the environment in which a process runs and can be used to store app secrets and configuration data, which are retrieved by running apps when needed
. They allow us to keep values on our local and production environments distinct and make our applications more predictable
. Environment variables are commonly used in programming and are available to programs/applications dynamically during runtime
