Forrest logo
back to the env tool

env:tldr:5c45c

env: Set a variable and run a program.
$ env ${variable}=${value} ${program}
try on your machine

This command is used to set an environment variable and then execute a program with that variable's value.

Here's a breakdown of each component:

  • env: It is a command in Unix-like operating systems that allows you to modify the environment variables for a specific command or script. It launches the specified command within an altered environment.

  • ${variable}=${value}: This is the syntax for assigning a value to a variable in Unix-like operating systems. You replace ${variable} with the name of the variable you want to set, and ${value} with the desired value. For example, if you want to set a variable named NAME to the value John, you would write NAME=John.

  • ${program}: This is the placeholder for the program or command you want to execute. You replace ${program} with the actual name of the program you want to run.

By combining these components, the env command is used to modify the environment temporarily by setting a specific variable to a desired value, and then executing a program within that modified environment.

For example, let's say you have a variable named MYVAR with the value 123, and a program named myprogram. To execute myprogram with MYVAR set to 123, you would write:

env MYVAR=123 myprogram

This command sets the environment variable MYVAR to 123 and then runs myprogram with that modified environment.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.
back to the env tool