> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Environment variables

> Set environment variables for your project.

Environment variables hold configuration values your app reads at runtime — API endpoints, feature flags, and any other values that should not be hard-coded.

## Adding a variable

1. Open **Project → Settings → Environment variables**.
2. Click **Add another variable**.
3. Enter the **key** (for example, `STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY`) and **value**.
4. Click **Save variables**.

## Per-environment variables

If your project has multiple [environments](/features/backend/environments/overview) (development, staging, production), you can scope variables per environment. Production-only secrets stay out of development.

## Where variables are used

* **Generated code** reads env vars via the standard mechanism for your stack
* **Custom functions** access them as named values
* **Integrations** that need credentials beyond their own configuration

For integration credentials specifically (Stripe keys, SendGrid API key, and so on), use the [Integrations settings](/features/backend/integrations/overview) — they handle credential rotation and isolation better than raw env vars.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Are environment variables encrypted at rest?">
    Yes. {/* VERIFY: confirm encryption posture */}
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>