Comment on page

What is an Environment Variable?

Understand how to use Environment Variables in ProcessMaker Platform.

Overview
In ProcessMaker Platform, an Environment Variable is a secure, abstract proxy for any sensitive information that you need to use in a Process. Any Environment Variable can be re-used in any Process to abstract information securely throughout your organization.
You do not need to know the sensitive information that the Environment Value represents. The Process designer creates the placeholder for that sensitive information, and then the value for the Environment Value is entered or read via a Script during a Request.
Below are a few examples how to use Environment Variables:
A Request participant's username and password may be entered into a Screen as part of a Task that passes each Environment Variable's value securely to a third-party service.
A Request participant's credit card information securely interacts with an online payment processing service through multiple Environment Variables.
A Request participant's banking information securely interacts with a bank to make transactions securely while following compliance protocols.
ProcessMaker Platform has default Environment Variables:
Environment Variable
Description
HOST_URL
Domain for the ProcessMaker Platform instance.
API_HOST
ProcessMaker Platform instance API to which to make all our RESTful API calls.
API_TOKEN
Token a Script uses to authenticate to our API host. Note that this API token is only valid for the lifetime of the Script: after the Script runs and the Script Executor's Docker container from which that Script ran, its API token is no longer valid.
Use a Script to get the value of these Environment Variables. See Environment Variable Syntax, Usage, and Examples.
Related Topics
View Environment Variables
Create a New Environment Variable
Search for an Environment Variable
Edit an Environmental Variable
Delete an Environment Variable
What is a Process?
What is a Script?
What is a Request?
What is a Screen?
What is a Task?

Environment Variable	Description
HOST_URL	Domain for the ProcessMaker Platform instance.
API_HOST	ProcessMaker Platform instance API to which to make all our RESTful API calls.
API_TOKEN	Token a Script uses to authenticate to our API host. Note that this API token is only valid for the lifetime of the Script: after the Script runs and the Script Executor's Docker container from which that Script ran, its API token is no longer valid.