Environment Variable Explorer

Manage Environment Variables Easily Across Platforms

Demo

Project Description

Environment Variable Explorer is a C# application designed to view, edit, add, and delete environment variables on your system, with support for different environment variable scopes (Process, User, Machine). It provides a clean and intuitive UI to help developers and sysadmins:

• Easily browse environment variables by target (Process, User, Machine).
• Edit values safely with undo/redo functionality.
• Add and delete variables, with platform-aware restrictions.

This tool is ideal for developers, administrators, and power users who want a simple way to manage environment variables without relying on command-line tools or registry editors. Whether debugging application configs or adjusting system-wide environment settings, Environment Variable Explorer streamlines the process.

If you find this tool helpful, please star the repo! ⭐

Why Environment Variable Explorer?

No more hunting through OS settings or remembering complex commands! This app offers:

• ✅ Cross-platform support with platform-specific restrictions.
• ✅ Clear separation of environment variable targets.
• ✅ Safe editing with inline validation
• ✅ Quick access to environment variables for troubleshooting and configuration.

Table of Contents

• Environment Variable Explorer - Manage Environment Variables Easily Across Platforms
• Demo
• Project Description
• Why Environment Variable Explorer?
• Table of Contents
  • Features
    • Core Functionality
    • Platform Support
  • Understanding Environment Variable Targets
  • Installation
    • Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary
    • Option 2: Build from source
  • Quick Start
  • Work in Progress / Roadmap 🚧
  • Troubleshooting
    • Common Issues
  • Get Involved
• License

Features

Core Functionality

• 🔍 Smart Filtering - Browse variables by scope (Process/User/Machine)
• ✏️ Inline Editing - Click to edit with real-time validation
• ➕ Easy Addition - Add new variables with guided input
• 🗑️ Safe Deletion - Remove variables with confirmation prompts

Platform Support

• 🪟 Windows - Full support for all variable scopes
• 🐧 Linux/macOS - Process-level variables only
• ⚡ Cross-platform - Built with .NET for maximum compatibility

Understanding Environment Variable Targets

Environment variables can exist in different scopes (or targets) depending on your platform:

Scope	Description	Windows Support	Linux/macOS Support
Process	Available only to the current running application. Temporary.	✅ Supported	✅ Supported
User	Available to all applications run by the current user. Persisted in the registry.	✅ Supported	⚠️ Not natively supported by .NET
Machine	Available system-wide for all users. Requires admin privileges.	✅ Supported	⚠️ Not natively supported by .NET

Warning

On non-Windows platforms, only Process scope is supported due to .NET limitations. We’re working on safe, platform-specific solutions to persist variables beyond process scope.

Installation

Option 1: Download Pre-built Binary

1. Go to Releases
2. Download the latest version for your platform (Windows/Linux/macOS)
3. Extract and run the executable

Option 2: Build from source

git clone https://github.com/Dwarf1er/environment-variable-explorer.git
cd environment-variable-explorer
publish.sh # .\publish.ps1 on Windows
cd environment-variable-explorer/EnvironmentVariableExplorer/bin/Release/net9.0/{your-platform}/publish/
# run EnvironmentVariableExplorer binary

Quick Start

1. Launch the application
2. Select scope - Choose between Process, User, or Machine variables
3. Browse existing variables in the table
4. Add new variables using the "Add Variable" button
5. Edit inline by clicking any value cell
6. Delete by selecting a row and clicking the delete button

Note

On non-Windows platforms, only Process-level variables can be modified. As of now, there are no persistent storage mechanisms

Work in Progress / Roadmap 🚧

Here are some features and improvements we're actively working on:

• 🔄 Cross-platform Persistent Storage:

  • Implementing a user-friendly solution to simulate persistent environment variables on Linux/macOS, such as:
    • Writing to .bashrc, .zshrc, .profile, or systemd environment files.
    • Using distro-specific methods (e.g., ~/.config/environment.d/ on systemd-based systems).

• 📤 Import/Export Options:

  • Support for exporting environment variables to .json files.
  • Ability to import environment variable sets from .json files for sharing, quick setup or backup.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Registry Access Denied" when editing Machine variables

• Run application as Administrator on Windows, Machine scopes require elevated permissions

Variables not appearing

• Switch to All scope in the drop-down and use full-text search to make sure your new variable was created in the correct scope
• Process environment variables are temporary and will be deleted after you stop the application

Get Involved

• 💡 Have ideas or feature requests? Open an issue or start a discussion!
• 🔧 Want to contribute? Fork the repo, submit PRs, and help improve the tool!
• 📢 Using Environment Variable Explorer? Let us know! Share your use case, report issues, or give feedback.
• 🚀 Spread the word! ⭐ Star the repo and share with others!

License

This software is licensed under the MIT license