Environment variables are dynamic values that can affect the way running processes will behave on a computer. They are used by the operating system to pass configuration information to applications. In Windows, environment variables are extensively used to control the behavior of various system and application settings. Understanding how to create, modify, and use these variables can greatly enhance your ability to manage your Windows environment effectively.

In this article, we will explore the concept of environment variables in Windows, their importance, and provide practical examples on how to work with them using Command Prompt (CMD) and PowerShell.

Examples:

1. Viewing Environment Variables

To view all environment variables in Windows, you can use the set command in CMD or Get-ChildItem Env: in PowerShell.

CMD:

   set

PowerShell:

   Get-ChildItem Env:

2. Setting an Environment Variable

You can set an environment variable temporarily for the current session or permanently.

CMD (Temporary):

   set MY_VARIABLE=HelloWorld

PowerShell (Temporary):

   $env:MY_VARIABLE = "HelloWorld"

To set an environment variable permanently, you need to modify the system or user environment variables.

CMD (Permanent):

   setx MY_VARIABLE "HelloWorld"

PowerShell (Permanent):

   [System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("MY_VARIABLE", "HelloWorld", "User")

3. Using Environment Variables

Environment variables can be used in scripts and commands to make them more flexible.

CMD:

   echo %MY_VARIABLE%

PowerShell:

   echo $env:MY_VARIABLE

4. Removing an Environment Variable

If you need to remove an environment variable, you can do so using the following commands:

CMD:

   set MY_VARIABLE=

PowerShell:

   Remove-Item Env:MY_VARIABLE

By mastering the use of environment variables, you can streamline your workflows and automate many aspects of system configuration and management.