# Environment variables | DRE

> Every DRE_* variable and what it does.

You're reading the docs for DRE 0.3 (v0.3.2). [This page for 0.5](https://getdre.com/docs/environment-variables/) · [New in 0.5](https://getdre.com/docs/new-in-0.5/)

# Environment variables

Variable

Effect

`DRE_PROFILES_DIR`

Directory holding `profiles.yml` (default: the project directory if it has one, else `~/.dre`). `--profiles-dir` overrides it.

`DRE_PLUGINS_DIR`

One plugins directory for every project, instead of each project’s `dre_deps/plugins`.

`DRE_REGISTRY_URL`

The plugin package registry index (a URL or a local path).

`DRE_TARGET`

The run’s target (environment), `target.name`: every profile uses its entry for it. `--target` overrides it; without either, each profile uses its own `target:` in `profiles.yml`, else `dev`. New in 0.2.

`DRE_TARGET_PATH`

Where DRE writes its generated files (default: `target/` in the project). `--target-path` overrides it; it overrides `target_path:` in `dre_project.yml`.

`GITHUB_TOKEN`

Sent to GitHub by `dre system update` and `github:` plugin sources (private repositories, rate limits).

`DRE_GITHUB_API_URL`

The GitHub API for `github:` plugin sources and `dre system update` (GitHub Enterprise, a mirror).

`DRE_RUN_DATE`

The run date (`YYYY-MM-DD`) behind `run.date`, instead of today. It wins over `DRE_RUN_AT`’s date.

`DRE_RUN_AT`

The instant a run was scheduled for (RFC 3339, e.g. `2026-09-01T06:00:00Z`). It becomes `run.now` and `run.scheduled_at`, gives `run.date` (that instant’s date in the run’s timezone) when `DRE_RUN_DATE` isn’t set, and is recorded as `scheduled_at` in `run_results.json`. `dre schedule ls` puts it in every occurrence’s command.

`DRE_TIMEZONE`

The run’s timezone (IANA name), above every `timezone:` setting. `--timezone` overrides it.

`DRE_LOG_MAX_LINES`

Lines per `logs/dre.log` before it rotates (default 10,000).

`DRE_PLUGIN_HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_MS`

How long to wait for a plugin to start (default 30,000).

`NO_COLOR`

Turns off coloured output.

`DRE_SECRET_*`

Values are masked as `*****` in the console, logs, JSON events, the manifest, `run_results.json`, schema snapshots and `target/compiled/`. If a source rejects SQL containing a secret, its opaque error detail is omitted because databases may truncate or transform the value. `mask_secrets: false` in `dre_project.yml` turns masking off. Query result files are not altered.

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