GETENV(3) | Library Functions Manual | GETENV(3)

# NAME

`getenv`, `putenv`, `setenv`, `unsetenv` — environment variable functions

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <stdlib.h>`

char *
`getenv`(const char *name);

int
`setenv`(const char *name, const char *value, int overwrite);

int
`putenv`(char *string);

int
`unsetenv`(const char *name);

# DESCRIPTION

These functions set, unset, and fetch environment variables from the host environment list.

The `getenv`() function obtains the current value of the environment variable name. If the variable name is not in the current environment, a null pointer is returned.

The `setenv`() function inserts or resets the environment variable name in the current environment list. If the variable name does not exist in the list, it is inserted with the given value. If the variable does exist, the argument overwrite is tested; if overwrite is zero, the variable is not reset, otherwise it is reset to the given value.

The `putenv`() function takes an argument of the form name=value. The memory pointed to by string becomes part of the environment and must not be deallocated by the caller. If the variable already exists, it will be overwritten. A common source of bugs is to pass a string argument that is a locally scoped string buffer. This will result in corruption of the environment after leaving the scope in which the variable is defined. For this reason, the `setenv`() function is preferred over `putenv`().

The `unsetenv`() function deletes all instances of the variable name pointed to by name from the list.

# RETURN VALUES

The `putenv`(), `setenv`(), and `unsetenv`() functions return the value 0 if successful; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the error.

The `getenv`() function returns a pointer to the requested value, or `NULL` if it could not be found. If `getenv`() is successful, the string returned should be considered read-only.

# ERRORS

[`EINVAL`]
  The `setenv`() or `unsetenv`() function was passed an empty name or a NULL pointer, or was passed a name containing an ‘=’ character.

  The `putenv`() function was passed a string that did not contain an ‘=’ character, or was passed a string that started with the ‘=’ character.

[`ENOMEM`]
  The `setenv`() or `putenv`() function failed because it was unable to allocate memory for the environment.

# SEE ALSO

csh(1), sh(1), execve(2), issetugid(2), environ(7)

# STANDARDS

The `getenv`() function conforms to ANSI X3.159-1989 (“ANSI C89”). The `putenv`(), `setenv`(), and `unsetenv`() functions conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”).

# HISTORY

The function `getenv`() appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX and 3BSD. The functions `setenv`() and `unsetenv`() appeared in 4.3BSD-Tahoe. The `putenv`() function first appeared in AT&T System V Release 2 UNIX and was reimplemented for 4.3BSD-Reno.

# CAVEATS

Library code must be careful about using `getenv`() to read untrusted environment variables in setuid programs. The `issetugid`() function is provided for this purpose.

August 8, 2022 | Debian