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A static site’s environment variables are key-value pairs that Sevalla passes to the build. Your build command reads them like any other environment variable, for example to fill in an API URL. They exist only while the site builds: a static site has no server, so nothing reads them when visitors load a page.
A value your build writes into the site’s files is public. Frameworks embed variables with prefixes such as VITE_, NEXT_PUBLIC_ or PUBLIC_ into the JavaScript they output. Never give the build a secret that ends up in the published files.

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How variables work

  • Changes apply from the next deployment. Adding, updating or deleting a variable doesn’t rebuild the site: deploy it to use the change.
  • Each variable is for production, previews or both. With pull request previews on, you choose Production, Preview or both for each variable. Production deployments use the Production variables, preview deployments the Preview ones. Without previews, new variables are production only.
  • A key can exist once per environment: once for production and once for previews, with different values. Adding a key that already exists for the same environment fails with This key already exists on the static site.
  • Values are encrypted when Sevalla stores them, and masked in the dashboard until you reveal them.
  • One variable can use another. Write ${KEY} in a value to insert the value of the variable KEY from the same environment, for example ${API_HOST}/v2. References can nest up to 10 levels. A reference to a key that doesn’t exist stays as written.
  • Global variables don’t apply. The company’s Global variables (Tools > Global variables) are for applications only.

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Add environment variables

1

Open the variables

In the sidebar, click Static sites, then click the site. Click the Environment variables tab.
2

Open the add sheet

Click Add environment variables.
3

Enter the variables

Enter a Key and a Value. Click Add another for more rows, click Import .env to load a .env file, or paste a .env file’s contents into a key field. With previews on, choose the Availability: Production, Preview or both.
4

Save them

Click Add environment variables.
The variables appear in the list, with their availability when previews are on. Each needs a key and a value, and a key can appear once per sheet (Key is required, Duplicate key). Deploy the site to use them.
The Add environment variables sheet with Production and Preview availability checked, one key and value, Add another and Import .envThe Add environment variables sheet with Production and Preview availability checked, one key and value, Add another and Import .env
You can also add variables when you create the site.

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Update an environment variable

1

Open the variable

On the site’s Environment variables tab, open the variable’s menu and click Update.
2

Change it

Update the Key, the Value or the Availability, then click Update environment variable.
The Availability choice shows here even with previews off, so you can change where an existing variable applies. Deploy the site to use the change.

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Delete environment variables

1

Choose the variables

On the site’s Environment variables tab, open a variable’s menu and click Delete. To delete more than one, select their checkboxes and click the button that names how many, for example Delete 3 variables.
2

Confirm

Click Delete variable (or Delete 3 variables).
The variables are removed from the next deployment on. You can’t undo this.

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Find, copy and export variables

  • Filter by key… narrows the list to keys that contain what you type.
  • Copy all copies every variable to the clipboard in .env format.
  • Export downloads every variable as a file named export.env.

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API and CLI

The API sets the environments with is_production and is_preview, both true unless you say otherwise. Its branch field limits a preview variable to one branch: previews of other branches don’t get it, and production deployments ignore the field.