Environment Variables
Environment variables are key/value pairs injected into your containers at build and runtime. Use them for configuration and secrets such as DATABASE_URL or API tokens. Variables are scoped: a variable can apply to the whole project or to a single environment, and environment values override project values.
Inheritance and scope
Each variable belongs to a project and a branch and carries two flags:
- Secret — the value is stored encrypted and shown masked in the UI and in logs.
- Inherited — the value is automatically passed down to child environments, so a value set once on a parent branch is available to its previews.
The variables table marks each row accordingly: Inherited (passed down from a parent scope) or This environment only (defined on the current branch). When the same key exists at multiple levels, the environment value wins over the project value.
Editing scope
You can only edit or delete variables that are defined on the current environment. Inherited values are managed where they were originally defined.
Create a variable
- Open Environment variables for the active environment and click New variable.
- Enter a Key — uppercase letters, digits and underscores (e.g.
DATABASE_URL). - Enter the Value.
- Optionally tick Secret (store encrypted, mask in UI/logs) and/or Inherited (pass down to child environments).
- Click Create variable.
Edit or delete a variable
In the table, click a key to edit it, or use the trash icon to delete it and confirm in the dialog.
Takes effect on next deploy
Adding, changing or deleting a variable does not touch running containers. Redeploy the environment for the change to be applied.
Not the same as relationship variables
These user-defined variables are distinct from the TRAGWERK_* variables that Tragwerk injects from your <relationships> configuration. Relationship variables describe connections to backing services (database, cache, etc.) and are generated automatically — you do not create them here. See relationships.