How do I use environment variables in my scripts?

How do I use environment variables in my scripts?

You can use environment variables to store configuration settings and sensitive information. In most scripting languages, you can access them using specific syntax. For example, in Bash, you can use $VARIABLE_NAME.

Can you give me an example in a Python script?

Sure! In Python, you can use the os module to access environment variables. Here's a simple example:

import os

api_key = os.getenv('API_KEY')
print(f'Your API key is: {api_key}')

What if the environment variable is not set?

If the environment variable is not set, os.getenv() will return None. You can provide a default value by passing a second argument, like this:

api_key = os.getenv('API_KEY', 'default_value')

Are there any security concerns I should be aware of?

Yes, be cautious about exposing sensitive information. Avoid hardcoding sensitive data in your scripts and ensure that your environment variables are not logged or printed.