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Environment Variable (.env) — OpenClaw Glossary

A dynamic value that affects the way running processes will behave on a computer. In OpenClaw, these are stored in a `.env` file and contain sensitive configuration data like API keys, tokens, and database locations.

Term
Environment Variable (.env)
OpenClaw Relevance
Your `.env` file is the heart of your OpenClaw configuration. It holds the keys …
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Hinglish Explanation

Environment variables aisi settings hoti hain jo aapke program ko batati hain ki kaise behave karna hai. OpenClaw mein ye ek `.env` naam ki hidden file mein store hoti hain. Isme aapke saare secret passwords, tokens aur API keys hote hain, isliye is file ko hamesha safe rakhna padta hai.

What is an Environment Variable?

An environment variable is a value passed to a program by the operating system or the shell it runs in. Instead of hardcoding secrets (like passwords or API keys) directly into the source code of an application, developers use environment variables.

In Node.js applications like OpenClaw, these variables are typically loaded from a plain text file named .env placed in the root directory of the workspace.

Why it matters for OpenClaw

The OpenClaw Gateway relies entirely on environment variables to know:

  • Where to listen (OPENCLAW_HOST)
  • What port to use (OPENCLAW_PORT)
  • How to authenticate with Telegram (TELEGRAM_TOKEN)
  • How to talk to Claude or ChatGPT (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, OPENAI_API_KEY)
  • Who is allowed to use the bot (TELEGRAM_ALLOWLIST)

Because the .env file contains the “keys to the kingdom”, it must be protected with strict file permissions.

Common mistake

Committing .env to Git.

If you use version control (Git) to manage your workspace, you must ensure .env is listed in your .gitignore file. If you accidentally run git add . and push your .env file to a public repository (like GitHub), automated scrapers will find it immediately. Your API keys will be used by malicious actors, potentially costing you thousands of dollars in usage bills.

Fix: Never commit .env. Also, protect it on your VPS by running chmod 600 .env so only the owner can read it.

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