How to ensure environment variables stay unset across terminal sessions in Linux

Introduction

Linux environment variables are a fundamental concept that allow you to store and access important system, user, and application-specific settings. Understanding how to work with environment variables is crucial for any Linux user or developer, as they play a vital role in the functionality and customization of the operating system. This tutorial will guide you through the basics of environment variables, including how to define, access, and manage them in your Linux environment.

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Understanding Linux Environment Variables

Linux environment variables are a fundamental concept in the Linux operating system. They are named values that can be accessed and used by the shell, applications, and scripts running on the system. These variables store important information about the user's environment, system configuration, and application settings.

Understanding the basics of environment variables is crucial for any Linux user or developer, as they play a vital role in the functionality and customization of the operating system.

What are Environment Variables?

Environment variables are essentially named parameters that are available to the current shell session and any processes spawned from that session. They are used to store various types of information, such as:

• System configuration settings (e.g., PATH, DISPLAY, HOME)
• User preferences (e.g., EDITOR, SHELL, LANG)
• Application-specific settings (e.g., MYSQL_HOME, JAVA_HOME, ANDROID_HOME)

These variables can be accessed and modified by the user or the system, allowing for dynamic configuration and customization of the Linux environment.

Accessing and Viewing Environment Variables

You can view the current environment variables in your shell session by using the env or printenv commands:

$ env
## or
$ printenv

This will display a list of all the environment variables currently defined in your shell session.

You can also view the value of a specific environment variable by using the echo command and the variable name prefixed with a $:

$ echo $HOME
/home/username

Setting Environment Variables

Environment variables can be set in various ways, depending on the scope and persistence you require:

1. Temporarily for the current shell session:

   $ export MYVAR="my_value"

2. Permanently for the current user:

   • Edit the user's shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.bash_profile, ~/.profile) and add the variable definition.
   • Example:

     echo 'export MYVAR="my_value"' >> ~/.bashrc

3. Permanently for the system:

   • Edit the system-wide environment configuration file (e.g., /etc/environment, /etc/profile, /etc/bash.bashrc).
   • Example:

     echo 'MYVAR="my_value"' | sudo tee -a /etc/environment

By understanding how to access, view, and set environment variables, you can effectively manage and customize your Linux environment to suit your needs.

Defining and Managing Environment Variables

Now that we have a basic understanding of what environment variables are and how they are used in the Linux system, let's dive deeper into the process of defining and managing them.

Defining Environment Variables

As mentioned earlier, environment variables can be defined in various ways, depending on the scope and persistence required. Here are the common methods:

1. Temporarily for the current shell session:

   $ export MYVAR="my_value"

   This will set the MYVAR environment variable for the current shell session only. The variable will not persist after the session is closed.

2. Permanently for the current user:

   • Edit the user's shell configuration file (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.bash_profile, ~/.profile) and add the variable definition.
   • Example:

     echo 'export MYVAR="my_value"' >> ~/.bashrc

   • This will make the MYVAR environment variable available for the user in all subsequent shell sessions.

3. Permanently for the system:

   • Edit the system-wide environment configuration file (e.g., /etc/environment, /etc/profile, /etc/bash.bashrc).
   • Example:

     echo 'MYVAR="my_value"' | sudo tee -a /etc/environment

   • This will make the MYVAR environment variable available for all users and processes on the system.

Managing Environment Variables

In addition to defining environment variables, you may also need to manage them, which includes tasks such as unsetting, modifying, and checking their values.

1. Unset an environment variable:

   $ unset MYVAR

   This will remove the MYVAR environment variable from the current shell session.

2. Modify an environment variable:

   $ export MYVAR="new_value"

   This will update the value of the MYVAR environment variable in the current shell session.

3. Check the value of an environment variable:

   $ echo $MYVAR
   new_value

   This will display the current value of the MYVAR environment variable.

By understanding the various methods for defining and managing environment variables, you can effectively customize and control the Linux environment to suit your specific needs.

Practical Use Cases for Environment Variables

Environment variables in Linux have a wide range of practical applications, from system configuration to application-specific settings. Let's explore some common use cases and examples:

System Configuration

Environment variables are often used to configure system-level settings, such as:

1. PATH: Specifies the directories where the shell should search for executable files.

   $ echo $PATH
   /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games

2. DISPLAY: Specifies the display server to use for graphical applications.

   $ echo $DISPLAY
   :0

3. HOME: Specifies the user's home directory.

   $ echo $HOME
   /home/username

Application-specific Settings

Environment variables are also commonly used to configure application-specific settings, such as:

1. JAVA_HOME: Specifies the installation directory of the Java Development Kit (JDK).

   $ echo $JAVA_HOME
   /usr/lib/jvm/java-11-openjdk-amd64

2. MYSQL_HOME: Specifies the installation directory of the MySQL server.

   $ echo $MYSQL_HOME
   /usr/local/mysql

3. ANDROID_HOME: Specifies the installation directory of the Android SDK.

   $ echo $ANDROID_HOME
   /opt/android-sdk

Usage in Scripts

Environment variables can be particularly useful when working with shell scripts. They allow you to parameterize and customize the script's behavior, making it more flexible and reusable. Here's an example:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Current user: $USER"
echo "Home directory: $HOME"
echo "Temporary directory: $TMPDIR"

By using environment variables in your scripts, you can write more portable and maintainable code that adapts to different environments and user preferences.

Understanding the practical use cases for environment variables is essential for effectively managing and customizing your Linux system and applications.

Summary

In this tutorial, you have learned the importance of environment variables in the Linux operating system and how to work with them. You've discovered how to access and view existing environment variables, as well as how to set new variables temporarily or permanently. By understanding and leveraging environment variables, you can customize your Linux system and applications to suit your specific needs, improving your productivity and efficiency.