---
title: "Default environment variables in Pipelines"
date: "2024-02-14T06:18:38+00:00"
summary: "Discover essential environment variables for Acquia Pipelines. Learn how to leverage these variables in your YAML files for efficient build definitions, deployments, and CI/CD workflows."
image:
type: "page"
url: "/acquia-cloud-platform/default-environment-variables-pipelines"
id: "7efa829a-94ae-4ded-adc7-bb95572302b8"
---

Pipelines provides the following environment variables for your use in your [YAML file](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/yaml). For example build definition files, see [Example Pipelines build definition files](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/yaml/examples).

The following variables are set by the system:

Variable name

Description

`BUILD_DIR`

The target directory into which the build artifact will be generated. Also known as `PIPELINE_DEPLOY_WORKSPACE`.

`CDE_DEPLOY_POLL_TIMEOUT`

Used to set timeouts (in seconds) for the `pipelines-deploy` [command](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/cli/commands#pipelines-cli-commands) without any limit. Default value is 1800.

`CI`, `CONTINUOUS_INTEGRATION`

With a value of `true`, indicates that this job is being run in a continuous integration context, rather than initiated directly by a human.

`npm_config_ignore_scripts`

Prevents npm from running scripts during the build process for enhanced security. The default value is `true`. You must manually update the value to `false` to use npm scripts.

`PIPELINE_APPLICATION_ID`

The application ID for this job’s pipeline.

`PIPELINE_CLOUD_REALM`

The [realm](/definitions/realm) in which the application is running.

`PIPELINE_CLOUD_SITE`

The Cloud Platform application name or [sitename](/definitions/sitename) that corresponds to the application ID.

`PIPELINE_DEPLOY_VCS_PATH`

The branch or tag that holds the output of the job. This variable is also known as `DEPLOY_VCS_PATH`. For more information, see [build artifact](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/artifacts#pipelines-build-artifact).

When using a GitHub branch during a job launched from a PR, the `DEPLOY_VCS_PATH` includes the PR number as shown in the following example:

    SOURCE_VCS_PATH="master"
    DEPLOY_VCS_PATH="pipelines-build-pr-<pr_number>"

`PIPELINE_DEPLOY_WORKSPACE`

The deployment workspace.

`PIPELINE_ENV`

With a value of `true`, indicates that this job is being run in a pipeline context.

`PIPELINE_GIT_HEAD_REF`

A reference to the last commit in the Git repository.

`PIPELINE_JOB_ID`

The job ID for this job. Also known as `PIPELINES_JOB_ID`.

`PIPELINE_PORT_22`

The port mapped to port 22.

`PIPELINE_PORT_8007`

The port mapped to port 8007.

`PIPELINE_SSH_KEY`

Specifies which SSH key will be used in a script. For more information, see [Linking to specific SSH keys with a variable](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/yaml#ssh-keys-link) and [Encrypting keys and variables](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/encrypt).

`PIPELINE_STATUS`

With a value of `running`, indicates that this job is running in a pipeline context.

`PIPELINE_VCS_PATH`

The path of the branch specified in the `--vcs-path` argument of the `start` command. Also known as `SOURCE_VCS_PATH`.

`PIPELINES_CURRENT_EVENT`

The name of the current running event. See [Events](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/yaml#events-key).

`PIPELINES_ENCRYPTED_VARIABLES_AVAILABLE`

A flag to enable or disable decryption of variables.

`PIPELINES_SCRIPT_DATA_FILE`

The name of the file to save script execution data to. Deployment information is stored as shown in the following example if the `pipelines-deploy` command is executed through `acquia-pipelines.yaml`:

    {"environment":{
    "PIPELINES_DEPLOYMENT_NAME":"ode184",
    "PIPELINES_DEPLOYMENT_LINK":
    "http:\/\/odetopipelinesode184.prod.acquia-sites.com"
    }}

Note

The `PIPELINES_DEPLOYMENT_LINK` variable is not available during runtime.

`SOURCE_DIR`

The source directory containing the build instructions.

`SYNC_DB_POLL_TIMEOUT`

Used to set timeouts (in seconds) for the `pipelines-sync-dbs` [command](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/cli/commands#pipelines-cli-commands) without any limit. Default value is 1000.

`YARN_ENABLE_SCRIPTS`

Prevents Yarn from running scripts during the build process for enhanced security. The default value is `false`. You must manually update the value to `true` to use Yarn scripts.

For information about the `variables` key in your YAML file, see [variables:](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/yaml#variables). For details about including secure (encrypted) variables in the variables key, see [Encrypting keys and variables](/acquia-cloud-platform/features/pipelines/encrypt).