Setting up environment variables for SQL CLI

16 Oct 2023

When working with the SQL command line interface (CLI), it is often necessary to set up environment variables to define important configuration options. These variables can help you manage and configure your CLI tool to connect to databases and perform various operations.

In this blog post, we will explore how to set up environment variables for the SQL CLI tool, which will make it easier for you to work with databases from the command line.

What are Environment Variables?
Why Use Environment Variables for SQL CLI?
Setting Up Environment Variables
Conclusion

What are Environment Variables?

Environment variables are dynamic values that can affect the behavior of programs or scripts. They provide a way to pass configuration values to programs without hard-coding them in the application code. These variables are set in the operating system’s environment and can be accessed by any program running on the same system.

Why Use Environment Variables for SQL CLI?

Using environment variables for SQL CLI configuration has several benefits:

Portability: By setting up environment variables, you can easily move your CLI configuration across different machines or share it with other team members without exposing sensitive information like passwords.
Separation of Concerns: Environment variables help you separate configuration from application code, making it easier to manage and modify settings without touching the application itself.
Security: Storing sensitive information like database credentials in environment variables ensures that they are not visible in plaintext in scripts or configuration files.

Setting Up Environment Variables

Step 1: Determine the Required Variables

Before setting up environment variables, it is important to determine which variables are required for your SQL CLI tool. These variables typically include connection details like host, port, username, password, and database name.

Step 2: Set Up the Variables

Once you have identified the required variables, you can set them up in one of two ways: using the command line or using a .env file.

Option 1: Using Command Line

To set up environment variables using the command line, you need to use the appropriate syntax for your operating system. Here are some examples:

Windows Command Prompt:
```
SET VARIABLE_NAME=value
```
Windows PowerShell:
```
$env:VARIABLE_NAME=value
```
Unix/Linux Bash:
```
export VARIABLE_NAME=value
```

Replace VARIABLE_NAME with the name of the variable you want to set, and value with the corresponding value.

Option 2: Using .env File

Another way to set up environment variables is by using a .env file. This file typically contains key-value pairs in the format VARIABLE_NAME=value, with each variable on a new line.

Create a file named .env in your CLI tool’s project directory and add the required variables with their corresponding values. For example:

HOST=localhost
PORT=5432
USERNAME=myuser
PASSWORD=mypassword
DATABASE=mydatabase

Remember to keep this file secure and add it to your .gitignore if it contains sensitive information.

Step 3: Verifying the Environment Variables

To verify that the environment variables are set up correctly, you can check if your SQL CLI tool can access and use them.

You can use the following command to check the value of an environment variable:

Windows Command Prompt:
```
echo %VARIABLE_NAME%
```
Windows PowerShell:
```
echo $env:VARIABLE_NAME
```
Unix/Linux Bash:
```
echo $VARIABLE_NAME
```

Replace VARIABLE_NAME with the name of the variable you want to check.

Conclusion

Setting up environment variables for SQL CLI configuration is a best practice that can greatly simplify your workflow and improve security. By separating configuration from application code, you can easily manage different environments and share configurations without exposing sensitive information.

By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you should now have a better understanding of how to set up environment variables for the SQL CLI tool. This will enable you to work more efficiently and securely from the command line.

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