In a Declarative Jenkins Pipeline, set variables with an environment block: put it inside pipeline for Pipeline-wide scope or inside a stage for stage-only scope. In a Scripted Pipeline, wrap the relevant steps in withEnv(['NAME=value']). Reference a variable in Pipeline Groovy as env.NAME; in shell commands, expand it using that shell’s syntax.
Set a variable in a Declarative Pipeline
Use environment in a Declarative Jenkinsfile. A block directly inside pipeline makes its values available across the Pipeline; a block inside a stage limits them to that stage.
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Pipeline-wide variable
pipeline {
agent any
environment {
BUILD_MODE = 'release'
}
stages {
stage('Build') {
steps {
echo "Mode: ${env.BUILD_MODE}"
sh 'make BUILD_MODE=$BUILD_MODE'
}
}
}
}Use env.BUILD_MODE when reading the value in Groovy. The single-quoted sh argument leaves $BUILD_MODE for the shell to expand.
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pipeline {
agent any
stages {
stage('Test') {
environment {
TEST_FLAGS = '--verbose'
}
steps {
sh 'make test TEST_FLAGS="$TEST_FLAGS"'
}
}
}
}Here, TEST_FLAGS is defined for the Test stage rather than at the Pipeline level.
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Set a variable in a Scripted Pipeline
Use withEnv to provide an environment value to the steps inside its block:
node {
withEnv(['BUILD_MODE=release']) {
sh 'make BUILD_MODE=$BUILD_MODE'
}
}The value is available to external processes started within the wrapper’s scope. withEnv can also unset a variable with an entry such as NAME=, or prepend a directory to PATH with the special form PATH+LABEL=/directory.
Choose the right source and scope
- Ordinary configuration: Use an
environmentblock orwithEnv, choosing the location that matches the required scope. - Build input: Pipeline parameters are exported as environment variables when a build starts. In Pipeline Groovy, read parameter values through the read-only
paramsmap. - Secret: Do not put the secret value directly in the Jenkinsfile. Bind a configured Jenkins credential by ID with
credentials('credential-id')in a Declarativeenvironmentblock, or usewithCredentialsfor supported credential bindings and scoped access.
Use credentials without exposing them unnecessarily
A username/password credential binding can provide a combined value and separate _USR and _PSW variables. Jenkins masking can reduce accidental disclosure in logs, but it does not prevent a Pipeline from disclosing a credential. Do not provide trusted credentials to untrusted Pipeline jobs. Jenkins warns: “A Pipeline that uses credentials can also disclose those credentials.” (Jenkins: Using credentials.)
When a shell step needs a secret, pass a literal command string so the shell reads the value from its environment; avoid Groovy-interpolated command strings, which can expose secret material in process arguments. Follow the Jenkinsfile documentation for credential and Pipeline details.
Expand variables in Groovy and shell steps
- Pipeline Groovy: Read a Pipeline environment variable as
env.NAME, for exampleecho "Mode: ${env.BUILD_MODE}". - POSIX shell via
sh: Use$NAMEor${NAME}in the shell command. Keep commands single-quoted in Groovy when shell expansion is intended. - Other command shells: Use the expansion syntax for the shell step and operating system actually running the command. POSIX
$NAMEsyntax is not universal.
Troubleshoot common problems
- The variable is unavailable in a step: Check that it is defined at the correct level. A stage-level
environmentvalue is limited to that stage, and awithEnvvalue applies within its wrapped block. - Groovy prints an empty or unexpected value: Read the Pipeline variable using
env.NAME. For a build parameter, checkparams.NAMEin Groovy or its exported environment-variable form in a process. - The shell receives a literal
$NAME: Check the command’s shell and quoting. A single-quoted Groovy string passes the dollar expression to the shell, but the shell must support that expansion syntax. - A credential appears in command arguments or logs: Avoid Groovy interpolation for commands that use secrets; pass a literal command to the shell. Review which jobs and users can access the credential, since masking is not a security boundary.
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