env

Use

env
env | grep '^PATH='

What It Does

env prints environment variables available to a process.

An environment variable is a name-value string passed from a parent process to a child process. Scripts, cron jobs, and systemd services may not receive the same environment as your interactive shell.

Practice

Look for PATH, HOME, and USER.

printf '%s\n' "$HOME"
printf '%s\n' "$USER"
printf '%s\n' "$PATH"
command -v python3

PATH is the list of directories the shell searches when you type a command name.

Expected Output

• HOME should point at your home directory.
• USER should match your handle.
• PATH should be colon-separated.
• command -v python3 should print the path to the Python executable.

Watch Out

Environment values can contain sensitive data on other systems. Do not paste them blindly.

Common Failures

• A command works in your shell but not in cron or systemd: use full paths or set the environment explicitly.
• command not found: inspect PATH and confirm the command exists with command -v.
• Variable appears empty: it may be a shell variable that was never exported.

Docs Pointers

• Run man env.
• Run man bash, then search for Environment and Shell Variables.
• Read Environment Variables.