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Docs: update env-var pickup timing for API/SDK updates #541

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Docs: update env-var pickup timing for API/SDK updates #541

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6 changes: 3 additions & 3 deletions src/content/docs/reference/environment-variables.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Environment variables
description: Using environment variables to store secrets that vals can securely access
sidebar:
order: 1
lastUpdated: 2026-06-11
lastUpdated: 2026-08-17
---

import Val from "@components/Val.astro";
Expand All @@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ You can store secrets, keys, and API tokens as **Environment Variables** via the
Environment variables can be accessed via `Deno.env` or `process.env` within any file in your val.

- The "key" and "value" of each environment variable can be any string
- Vals can't set environment variables programmatically: Environment variables are only set via the settings page. Trying to update an environment variable, for example by using `Deno.env.set`, is a no-op.
- Vals can't set environment variables programmatically from inside val code. Environment variables are set via the settings page, API, or SDK. Trying to update an environment variable, for example by using `Deno.env.set`, is a no-op.

Newly set or updated environment variables don't reach isolates that are already warm, so your val can keep seeing stale values until it redeploys. Any edit to the val, however trivial, forces a redeploy and picks up the new values.
Environment variables set via the API or SDK (for example, `client.vals.environmentVariables.update` or the `add_env_var` tool) are picked up by a val on the next HTTP request against the same warm isolate — no redeploy needed. Environment variables set through the Val Town UI or settings page may behave differently and can require a val edit or redeploy before a warm isolate sees the new value.

### Deno.env

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