Environment Variables

Environment variables are variables that are scoped to an environment, such as local development or production. They are useful for storing variables that can be re-used across the collection that are different depending on the environment. An example would be the host url of the server you want to test.

Creating an Environment Variable

1. Go to environments (top right) and press No environment.
2. If there are no environments, you will be prompted to create one.

3. Add your variable name, value, and an optional description for what the variable represents.
4. Save your changes.

Using an Environment Variable

Just like other variables you can use the {{varName}} syntax to use an environment variable in a request. On the top-right, you can see which environment you are currently using and select a different one.

Searching environment variables

When working with a large number of environment variables, you can use the search feature to quickly find specific variables.

1. Open your environment settings.
2. Click the search icon in the environment details panel.
3. Type your query to filter variables by name or value.

The search filters the variable list in real time. If you click on a variable row while searching, that row stays visible even if it no longer matches the query, so you can edit it without losing your place. The row unpins automatically after a short delay.

The search feature is also available for global environment variables.

Default environment

You can set a default environment for a collection so teammates and new sessions start with the right environment selected, without picking it manually every time.

The default is stored in the collection > Presets and travels with the collection when you share, export, or import it.

Set a default environment

1. Go to Collection > Presets tab.
2. Select the collection environment you want as the default
3. Click Save button.

Bruno marks that environment as the collection default and saves it to the collection config.

How the default is applied

Situation	What Bruno uses
You open a collection and already have a recently selected environment saved in the UI snapshot	The saved selection (default does not override it)
You open or import a collection with no recent environment selected	The configured default environment
You run requests in the app with no environment selected	The default environment, if one is configured
You run the collection with Bruno CLI and omit --env	The collection’s default environment, if one is configured

The default environment is shareable with the collection. Setting it updates collection config (bruno.json or OpenCollection YAML), not only your local UI state.

Persistence and export

The default environment is persisted in the collection configuration and included when you export the collection:

• Bruno native - stored in bruno.json
• OpenCollection YAML - stored in opencollection.yml

On import or when opening a collection, if no recent environment is selected from the UI snapshot, Bruno falls back to this configured default.

Example config

After you set Local as the default, the collection config includes that choice. Exact field placement depends on format:

Bru Collections

bruno.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "name": "my-api",
  "defaultEnvironment": "Local"
}

OpenCollection YAML

opencollection.yml

opencollection: 1.0.0
info:
  name: my-api
extensions:
  bruno:
    defaultEnvironment: Local

Environment inheritance

An environment can inherit variables from another environment in the same scope and override only the names it redefines. Use this to define shared values (host, common headers, feature flags) in a base environment, then layer environment-specific overrides on top.

Inheritance is supported for collection environments and workspace (global) environments, in both .bru and .yml, and applies in the app and in Bruno CLI.

Set a parent environment

1. Open the environment you want to extend from another.
2. In the environment editor, choose a parent environment from the same scope.
3. Save.

Inherited variables appear in a collapsible Inherited section above the environment’s own variables. Each inherited row shows its source environment and is read-only. To change an inherited value, redefine the variable in the current environment; the override wins at resolve time.

Bruno warns you when a parent environment is missing or excluded from the collection so the reference is not silently dropped. The unresolved parent name is preserved on save, so re-adding the parent restores inheritance.

Resolution and precedence

• Variables defined in the current environment override same-named variables inherited from a parent.
• Inheritance resolves at request time, so requests, scripts, collection runs, code generation, and CLI runs all see the merged variables.
• A single parent is declared as one name; multiple parents can be declared as a list (later entries take precedence over earlier ones).
• Secret values and unchanged inherited values are not rewritten to the child environment file on save.

Declaring extends in files

The parent reference is stored in the environment file so it travels through import, export, rename, and version control.

BRU format (.bru)

production.bru

extends: base

vars {
  host: https://api.example.com
}

Declare multiple parents with an array:

extends [
  base,
  shared
]

vars {
  host: https://api.example.com
}

Parent names may contain spaces. Wrap a name in double quotes if it contains a comma or brackets. A parent name cannot contain /.

YAML format (.yml)

production.yml

name: production
extends: base
variables:
  - name: host
    value: https://api.example.com
    enabled: true
    secret: false

Declare multiple parents with a list:

name: production
extends:
  - base
  - shared
variables: []

Using the ./environment directory

Environment variables are synced with the /environments directory inside your collection. You can also create and manage environments there.

Each environment is saved in a <environment-name>.bru file or a .yml file depending on the format in use.

BRU format (local.bru)

vars {
  @description('''Base URL for the local server''')
  host: http://localhost:8787

  @description('''
    JWT token obtained after login.
    Expires in 24 hours.
  ''')
  token: abc123

  noDesc: plain-value
}

Use @description before a variable to document what it represents. Descriptions are optional, always go on the line immediately before the variable, and support multiline text using triple quotes (''').

YAML format (production.yml)

name: Production
variables:
  - name: host
    value: https://api.example.com
    enabled: true
    secret: false
    description: Single-line description

  - name: token
    value: abc123
    enabled: true
    secret: false
    description: |-
      Multiline description.
      Supports multiple lines.
      Third line here.

  - name: apiKey
    value: ''
    enabled: true
    secret: true
    description: Secret API key stored encrypted

  - name: disabledVar
    value: old-value
    enabled: false
    secret: false
    description: This variable is disabled

  - name: ''
    value: ''
    enabled: true
    secret: false
    description: Orphaned description becomes an empty-name row

The description field is optional. Use the block scalar |- for multiline descriptions to preserve line breaks. A variable with an empty name and value is treated as an orphaned description row in the UI.

For information on importing and exporting environment variables, see the Import/Export Environments guide.