On Ubuntu, there are two system-wide environment variables, both files need admin or sudo to modify it.
/etc/environment – It is not a script file, purely assignment expressions, one per line.
PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games"
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/adoptopenjdk-11-hotspot-amd64
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib:/usr/lib/postgresql/8.3/lib
/etc/profile.d/*.sh – Files with .sh extension in the /etc/profile.d/ folder.
export JAVA_HOME=JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/adoptopenjdk-11-hotspot-amd64
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib:/usr/lib/postgresql/8.3/lib
export PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
Further Reading: Ubuntu – EnvironmentVariables
1. /etc/environment
1.1 Add a new environment variable MY_HOME=/home/mkyong in the /etc/environment file and source it to reflect the changes.
$ sudo vim /etc/environment
1.2 Modify, save and exit.
PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games"
JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/adoptopenjdk-11-hotspot-amd64
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib:/usr/lib/postgresql/8.3/lib
MY_HOME=/home/mkyong
1.3 Test.
$ source /etc/environment
$ echo $MY_HOME
/home/mkyong
Note
The new changes in /etc/environment will disappear if we close the current session or reopen a new terminal because a new shell does not trigger the /etc/environment. Try to restart the Ubuntu or login again; the new changes in /etc/environment will apply automatically.
2. /etc/profile.d/new-env.sh
2.1 Add a new environment variable MY_HOME=/home/mkyong in the /etc/profile.d/new-env.sh file and source it to reflect the changes.
$ sudo vim /etc/environment
2.2 Create, save and exit.
export MY_HOME=/home/mkyong
2.3 Test.
$ source /etc/profile
$ echo $MY_HOME
/home/mkyong
2.4 Why source /etc/profile? Read the source code, it will execute all files with .sh extension.
# /etc/profile: system-wide .profile file for the Bourne shell (sh(1))
# and Bourne compatible shells (bash(1), ksh(1), ash(1), ...).
if [ "${PS1-}" ]; then
if [ "${BASH-}" ] && [ "$BASH" != "/bin/sh" ]; then
# The file bash.bashrc already sets the default PS1.
# PS1='\h:\w\$ '
if [ -f /etc/bash.bashrc ]; then
. /etc/bash.bashrc
fi
else
if [ "`id -u`" -eq 0 ]; then
PS1='# '
else
PS1='$ '
fi
fi
fi
if [ -d /etc/profile.d ]; then
for i in /etc/profile.d/*.sh; do
if [ -r $i ]; then
. $i
fi
done
unset i
fi
Hi Dear young,
Im win user and in a job install fedora and a program on it due to speed up run. I need to add a environmental variable to run that program like this:
FLXDM
this variable point a license file in Home directory or where there is:
/HOME/license.dat
can you help me how set this environment variable?
Dear Yong, as understanding this page well, i have solved my problem. Thanks for preparing such a Page.
Dear Editor,
I am not professional at neither linux nor Ubuntu, only a new ubuntu 20 LTS user. I saw your web page while surfing. I need help from someone expertised. My problem is that: I am a new UBUNTU user. I was using the VIM editor to prepare a bashrc file. I made a wrong path in that file. Here are the commands that I have used in the bashrc via the VIM editor:
PATH=/home/user/NBO/NBO6
export=$PATH/nbo6.exe
export=$PATH/genbo6.exe
after closing the bashrc, I can not reach to Neither the VIM nor some Ubuntu Linux commands any way: Let me give several examples:
user@sedatg:~$ ls
the ‘ls’ command can be used in the following places
* /bin/ls
* /usr /bin/ls
The command can not be positioned because ‘/bin:/usr/bin’ PATH has not been included into enviroment variables.
ls: the command can not be found.
secondly,
user@sedatg:~$ vim
the system reply is the same as above.
But,
user@sedatg:~$ cd $PATH
user@sedatg:~/NBO/NBO6$
My request from you is that: I want my terminal of the UBUNTU linux sys. to come back and to remove the definition of the variable “PATH” .
Could you help and explain to me the steps for the solution, with the command instruction ?
I will be thankful if you can save me from this trouble.
Dr. Sedat GUMUS
export PATH=/usr/java/bin:$PATH
I tested your this command. It didnt recover the previous case. I want to enter my bashrc file again and to come back the previous stiuation, to remove my definition in the basch file. What can i do?
Thank you a lot for your hard work and simpler explanation
Thanks!
Can you tell me how to add environment variable for laravel installer in Ubuntu?
/etc/environment – This file is specifically meant for system-wide environment variable settings. It is not a script file, but rather consists of assignment expressions, one per line. Specifically, this file stores the system-wide locale and path settings.
Article is updated, thanks for your feedback.
Hi Dude,
Nice Info!! Keep it up with good work…
Thanks,
Natarajan