


How to set environment variables for the terminal in VS Code settings on Linux?
Jul 06, 2025 am 12:23 AMThere are two ways to set environment variables for VS Code terminals on Linux: one is to use the terminal.integrated.env.linux configuration item to define variables that are only used by VS Code; the other is to modify the shell configuration file to take effect globally. 1. In VS Code, add variables such as "MY_VAR": "my_value" by setting the terminal.integrated.env.linux field. This method only affects the VS Code terminal; 2. Modify shell configuration files such as ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc and add export MY_VAR="my_value" statement. This method affects all terminals. Note that VS Code usually starts a non-login shell, so make sure that the variable definition is in a file loaded by the non-login shell, such as ~/.bashrc. If necessary, the file can be called in other configuration files. Test the current shell type. You can confirm by the command echo $0. If the output starts with -, it is a login shell. After changing the configuration, you need to restart the terminal to apply the new settings.
Setting environment variables for the terminal in VS Code on Linux is actually pretty straightforward once you know where to look. The key is understanding that VS Code uses your system's shell configuration files by default, but it also gives you control through its own settings.

Use terminal.integrated.env.linux
in Settings
VS Code allows you to define custom environment variables specifically for the integrated terminal using the terminal.integrated.env.linux
setting. This is useful if you want certain variables set only when working inside VS Code and not globally on your system.

To use this:
- Open your VS Code settings (you can press
Ctrl ,
) - Search for “terminal integrated env linux”
- Click “Edit in settings.json”
Then add something like:

"terminal.integrated.env.linux": { "MY_VAR": "my_value", "DEBUG_LEVEL": "3" }
These variables will be available every time you open a new terminal window inside VS Code.
Modify Shell Configuration Files
If you want environment variables to be available across all terminals — including the one in VS Code — you should modify your shell's configuration file. For example:
- If you're using Bash: edit
~/.bashrc
or~/.bash_profile
- If you're using Zsh: edit
~/.zshrc
Just add lines like this:
export MY_VAR="my_value" export PATH="/some/custom/path:$PATH"
After saving, run source ~/.bashrc
(or the appropriate file) to apply changes immediately.
This method affects all terminals, not just VS Code, so it's more global.
Be Aware of Login vs Non-login Shells
One thing that often trips people up is that VS Code usually starts a non-login shell. That means it might not load all the same configuration files as when you open a regular terminal.
For example:
- A login shell loads
~/.bash_profile
,~/.profile
, etc. - A non-login shell typically loads
~/.bashrc
(in Bash)
So if you're putting environment variables in a file that doesn't get loaded by default in a non-login shell, they won't show up in VS Code.
To make sure your variables are always loaded:
- Put them in
~/.bashrc
(or equivalent) - Or source that file from another config file like
.bash_profile
You can test what kind of shell you're in by running:
echo $0
If it starts with a -
, it's a login shell.
Final Notes
You don't need any special extensions or tools — just a bit of setup in either VS Code settings or your shell config. And remember, if you're testing changes, always open a new terminal tab after editing config files to see the effect.
Basically that's it.
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