Environment variables

Look up the environment values used by the server and pane integrations.

Server configuration

Before changing a value, use Files and paths to locate the active configuration and choose the correct environment layer.

Process environment overrides config.env, then development .env, then defaults. CLI initialization persists production-specific paths and a generated authentication secret; raw boot defaults are not identical to an initialized installation.

Variable	Default or behavior
`SERVER_PORT`	`3080`.
`HOST`	`0.0.0.0`.
`APP_BASE_URL`	`http://localhost:<SERVER_PORT>` on raw boot.
`TRUSTED_ORIGINS`	Operator extras; raw default includes localhost Vite origins on ports 5174 and 5173. Derived origins are added separately.
`BETTER_AUTH_SECRET`	Unique secret generated by initialization. Production refuses the built-in placeholder.
`SUBSHELL_SERVER_CONFIG_DIR`	`~/.config/subshell-server`.
`DATABASE_PATH`	Raw default `./data/subshell.db`; initialization selects the deployment's persistent path.
`SUBSHELL_SERVER_DATA_DIR`	Defaults to the database's directory, resolved absolutely.
`SUBSHELL_NODE_ARTIFACTS_DIR`	`node-artifacts` beneath server data.
`SUBSHELL_RELEASE_URL`	Project GitHub release API; empty disables release fetches.
`SUBSHELL_PLUGIN_REGISTRY_URL`	Default npm registry; operator-selected mirrors are trusted configuration.
`SUBSHELL_FS_ROOT`	Unset allows broad server-side browser filesystem exploration; set restricts that picker to a resolved tree.
`SUBSHELL_EMERGENCY_PASSWORD`	Unset; when enabled, emergency admin sign-in rewrites the password.

Retention and diagnostics

Variable	Default or behavior
`SUBSHELL_DB_BACKUPS_KEEP`	Five database snapshots.
`SUBSHELL_LOG_RETENTION_DAYS`	Thirty days for terminated pane logs; zero disables the sweep.
`SUBSHELL_VERBOSE`	`1` or `true` increases console detail.
`SUBSHELL_DEBUG_LOGGING`	Additional file logging; false by default.
`SUBSHELL_TERMINAL_REPLAY_LINES`	Default 100 lines for initial terminal replay.
`SUBSHELL_ATTACH_DEBUG`	Debug screen dumps when enabled; these may contain sensitive output.
`SUBSHELL_DASHBOARD_PORT`	Override the node's loopback management listener.

Binary detection

Harness manifests declare CLAUDE_PATH, CODEX_PATH, OPENCODE_PATH, HERMES_PATH, and PI_PATH. Network manifests declare TAILSCALE_PATH, NETBIRD_PATH, and CLOUDFLARED_PATH. Terminal uses SHELL to select the execution account's shell.

These select binaries in the applicable execution environment. Setting one in a shell does not automatically change an existing service's environment.

Pane identity

The host injects SUBSHELL_API_KEY, SUBSHELL_ID, SUBSHELL_BASE_URL, SUBSHELL_DATA_DIR, and optional SUBSHELL_NAME for MCP. They identify the pane and its storage; do not replace them with a shared system key.

SUBSHELL_CHANNEL_PIN defaults to strict peer-key pinning. trust disables the pin check and persistence.

Installer settings

The server installation script accepts SUBSHELL_SERVER_VERSION, release API/base overrides, and address variables prefixed SUBSHELL_SERVER_. SUBSHELL_NO_SERVICE=1 skips its service setup. These installer variables are distinct from the server's persisted configuration names.