Setting Environment Variables

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Setting Environment Variables for GitHub Tokens or SSH Keys

1. On Linux/macOS:

Setting a new environment variable:

export GITHUB_TOKEN=your_personal_access_token

Using the environment variable: You can reference the above variable in your scripts or terminal using $GITHUB_TOKEN.

2. On Windows:

Using Command Prompt:

set GITHUB_TOKEN=your_personal_access_token

Using PowerShell:

$env:GITHUB_TOKEN="your_personal_access_token"

Using the environment variable: In Command Prompt, you'd reference it as %GITHUB_TOKEN%, and in PowerShell, you'd use $env:GITHUB_TOKEN.

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Persisting Environment Variables

The above commands will only set the variable for your current session. If you want to make the variable persistent across sessions:

1. On Linux:

Add the export line to your ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or profile file of whatever shell you're using.

2. On macOS:

Add the export line to your ~/.bash_profile or ~/.zshrc depending on your shell.

3. On Windows:

• Search for "Environment Variables" in your computer's search.

• Choose "Edit the system environment variables".

• In the System Properties window, click the "Environment Variables" button.

• Under "User variables", click "New" and add your variable and value.

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Important Note: Be cautious when setting environment variables, especially if you're sharing your scripts or dotfiles. You don't want to accidentally expose sensitive data. Always double-check what you're sharing.