> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/composiohq/composio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Environment Variables

> Configure the Composio CLI using environment variables

The Composio CLI supports configuration via environment variables for flexible deployment across different environments.

## Configuration Overview

The CLI uses a two-tier configuration system:

1. **Environment variables** - Runtime configuration (highest precedence)
2. **User config file** - Persistent storage (`~/.composio/user-config.json`)

Environment variables always override values in the user config file.

## Core Configuration

### COMPOSIO\_API\_KEY

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_API_KEY" type="string">
  Your Composio backend API key (starts with `uak_` for user API keys or `ak_` for account keys).

  **User config key:** `api_key`

  **Default:** `None`
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_API_KEY="uak_b813ydmoEYdB_xBxGHeW"
composio generate
```

<Note>
  When set, this overrides the API key stored from `composio login`.
</Note>

### COMPOSIO\_BASE\_URL

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_BASE_URL" type="string" default="https://backend.composio.dev">
  The base URL of the Composio backend API.

  **User config key:** `base_url`
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_BASE_URL="https://api-staging.composio.dev"
composio login
```

Useful for:

* Testing against staging environments
* Using a self-hosted Composio instance
* Development/debugging

### COMPOSIO\_WEB\_URL

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_WEB_URL" type="string" default="https://platform.composio.dev">
  The base URL of the Composio web app (used during login flow).

  **User config key:** `web_url`
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_WEB_URL="https://app-staging.composio.dev"
composio login
```

### COMPOSIO\_CACHE\_DIR

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_CACHE_DIR" type="string" default="~/.composio">
  Directory where the CLI stores cache files and user configuration.
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_CACHE_DIR="/tmp/composio-cache"
composio generate
```

Cached files include:

* `user-config.json` - User authentication and settings
* `toolkits.json` - Toolkit metadata
* `tools.json` - Tool definitions
* `tools-as-enums.json` - Tool name enums
* `trigger-types.json` - Trigger type definitions

### COMPOSIO\_LOG\_LEVEL

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_LOG_LEVEL" type="string">
  Log verbosity level for the CLI.

  **Accepted values:** `all`, `trace`, `debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`, `fatal`, `none`

  **Default:** `None` (minimal output)
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_LOG_LEVEL="debug"
composio generate
```

Or use the global flag:

```bash theme={null}
composio --log-level debug generate
```

<Note>
  The `--log-level` flag takes precedence over the environment variable.
</Note>

## Cache Control

### FORCE\_USE\_CACHE

<ParamField path="FORCE_USE_CACHE" type="boolean">
  Force the CLI to use cached API responses when available.

  **Default:** `false`
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export FORCE_USE_CACHE="true"
composio generate
```

When enabled:

* CLI checks cache first before making API calls
* Works offline if cache is available
* Useful for CI/CD with pre-warmed cache

**Use cases:**

```bash theme={null}
# Warm the cache
composio generate

# Use cached data (works offline)
FORCE_USE_CACHE=true composio generate
```

## Toolkit Version Overrides

### COMPOSIO\_TOOLKIT\_VERSION\_\<TOOLKIT>

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_TOOLKIT_VERSION_<TOOLKIT>" type="string">
  Override the version for a specific toolkit.

  **Format:** `COMPOSIO_TOOLKIT_VERSION_<TOOLKIT_SLUG>=<version>`

  **Values:**

  * Specific version (e.g., `20250901_00`)
  * `latest` (use the latest available version)
  * Unset (defaults to `latest`)
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_TOOLKIT_VERSION_GMAIL=20250901_00
export COMPOSIO_TOOLKIT_VERSION_GITHUB=20241215_00
export COMPOSIO_TOOLKIT_VERSION_SLACK=latest
composio generate --type-tools
```

<Warning>
  Toolkit version overrides only apply when using `--type-tools` with `composio generate` or `composio ts generate`.
</Warning>

See [Toolkit Versions](/cli/configuration/toolkit-versions) for more details.

## GitHub Integration (Upgrade)

### COMPOSIO\_GITHUB\_API\_BASE\_URL

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_GITHUB_API_BASE_URL" type="string" default="https://api.github.com">
  GitHub API base URL for fetching releases.
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_GITHUB_API_BASE_URL="https://github.company.com/api/v3"
composio upgrade
```

Useful for GitHub Enterprise instances.

### COMPOSIO\_GITHUB\_OWNER

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_GITHUB_OWNER" type="string" default="ComposioHQ">
  GitHub repository owner.
</ParamField>

### COMPOSIO\_GITHUB\_REPO

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_GITHUB_REPO" type="string" default="composio">
  GitHub repository name.
</ParamField>

### COMPOSIO\_GITHUB\_TAG

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_GITHUB_TAG" type="string" default="latest">
  Specific release tag to upgrade to.
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_GITHUB_TAG="@composio/cli@0.1.24"
composio upgrade
```

Downloads version 0.1.24 instead of the latest.

### COMPOSIO\_GITHUB\_ACCESS\_TOKEN

<ParamField path="COMPOSIO_GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN" type="string">
  GitHub access token for API requests (avoids rate limiting).
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export COMPOSIO_GITHUB_ACCESS_TOKEN="ghp_your_token"
composio upgrade
```

Useful during development to avoid GitHub's rate limits (60 requests/hour for unauthenticated users).

## Terminal Configuration

### NO\_COLOR

<ParamField path="NO_COLOR" type="boolean">
  Disable colored output in the CLI.

  **Standard:** [no-color.org](https://no-color.org/)
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export NO_COLOR=1
composio generate
```

Outputs plain text without ANSI color codes (useful for logging systems).

## Development/Debugging

### DEBUG\_OVERRIDE\_VERSION

<ParamField path="DEBUG_OVERRIDE_VERSION" type="string">
  Override the CLI version for debugging upgrade behavior.

  **Development use only.**
</ParamField>

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
export DEBUG_OVERRIDE_VERSION="0.1.0"
composio upgrade
```

Forces the CLI to think it's running version 0.1.0, triggering an upgrade.

## User Config File

The CLI stores persistent configuration in `~/.composio/user-config.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "api_key": "uak_b813ydmoEYdB_xBxGHeW",
  "base_url": "https://backend.composio.dev",
  "web_url": "https://platform.composio.dev",
  "org_id": "k2OiqRLMdHyM",
  "project_id": "pr_xlSR6oN5jIlk",
  "test_user_id": "pg-test-12345"
}
```

This file is created and updated by:

* `composio login` - Stores API key and org/project IDs
* `composio logout` - Clears API key
* `composio orgs switch` - Updates default org/project

<Warning>
  The `user-config.json` file contains your API key. Keep it secure and never commit it to version control.
</Warning>

## Configuration Precedence

When the same setting is defined in multiple places:

1. **CLI flags** (highest precedence)
2. **Environment variables**
3. **User config file** (`~/.composio/user-config.json`)
4. **Default values** (lowest precedence)

**Example:**

```bash theme={null}
# Config file: base_url = "https://backend.composio.dev"
export COMPOSIO_BASE_URL="https://api-staging.composio.dev"

# Environment variable wins
composio generate
# Uses: https://api-staging.composio.dev
```

## Examples

### CI/CD Configuration

```bash theme={null}
#!/bin/bash
# .github/workflows/generate-types.yml

export COMPOSIO_API_KEY="${{ secrets.COMPOSIO_API_KEY }}"
export COMPOSIO_LOG_LEVEL="info"
export FORCE_USE_CACHE="true"

composio generate --toolkits github --toolkits gmail
```

### Staging Environment

```bash theme={null}
# .env.staging
export COMPOSIO_BASE_URL="https://api-staging.composio.dev"
export COMPOSIO_WEB_URL="https://app-staging.composio.dev"
export COMPOSIO_LOG_LEVEL="debug"

source .env.staging
composio login
```

### Offline Development

```bash theme={null}
# Warm the cache
composio generate

# Work offline
export FORCE_USE_CACHE="true"
export COMPOSIO_LOG_LEVEL="debug"
composio generate --toolkits slack
```

### Custom Cache Location

```bash theme={null}
# Use project-local cache
export COMPOSIO_CACHE_DIR="./.composio-cache"
composio generate

# Add to .gitignore
echo ".composio-cache/" >> .gitignore
```

## Related Pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Toolkit Versions" icon="tag" href="/cli/configuration/toolkit-versions">
    Pin toolkit versions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Login" icon="right-to-bracket" href="/cli/commands/login">
    Authentication guide
  </Card>
</CardGroup>