Linux/Unix environment variables

Question

Where Linux/Unix environment variables are kept? How can I add my own environment variable and make it persistent, not only within currently running script?

Answer 1

Are you looking for the export keyword?

More information:

• Defining a variable with or without export
• http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-bash.html - section Environment variables.

Answer 2

To see the env variables use the printenv command.

To set a new variable you can use the ~/.bash_rc file:

export new_variable=10

new_variable will be accessible for all shells.

Answer 3

you can add them in your profile, eg ~/.bash_profile. global profile is usually located in /etc. eg /etc/profile. Take a look also at /etc/profile.d directory if you have it.

Answer 4

Add export statements to ~/.bash_login