Nushell_Environment_Variables.md

Environment Variable Management in Nushell

In Nushell, environment variables are managed using the $env variable, which functions as a record containing key-value pairs. This approach is more structured compared to traditional shells like Bash.

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Setting Environment Variables

To set an environment variable in Nushell, use the following syntax:

$env.VARIABLE_NAME = 'value'

Example:

$env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID = 'ASIDGWF7T'

Note: Ensure there are spaces around the = sign to avoid syntax errors.

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Accessing Environment Variables

Retrieve the value of an environment variable like so:

$env.VARIABLE_NAME

Example:

$env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID

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Listing Environment Variables

To view all environment variables in a table format, you can use:

$env | table -e

This command pipes the $env record into the table command with the -e flag, which formats the environment variables into a structured table.

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Comparison with Other Shells

Feature	Nushell Syntax	Traditional Shell (e.g., Bash) Syntax
Setting Variables	$env.VARIABLE_NAME = 'value'	export VARIABLE_NAME='value'
Accessing Variables	$env.VARIABLE_NAME	$VARIABLE_NAME
Listing Variables	`$env	table -e`

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Advantages of Nushell's Approach

Advantage	Description
Consistency	Environment variables are managed through the $env record, promoting a structured syntax.
Readability	$env provides clear access and separation from regular variables.
Enhanced Table View	Using `$env

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Nushell encapsulates environment variables within the $env record, providing a more structured and consistent approach to environment management. This differs from traditional shells, where variables are accessed and managed directly, often without clear separation from other shell variables.