Export API key as an environment variable in Alibaba Cloud Model Studio - Alibaba Cloud Model Studio

Export your API key as an environment variable to avoid hardcoding it in code and reduce leak risk. This topic describes the export methods.

Prerequisites

You have activated Model Studio and created an API key.

Procedure

Linux

Permanent environment variable

To make the API key available in all future sessions, export it permanently.

Run the following command to add the environment variable to the ~/.bashrc file:
```
# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
echo "export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY='YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY'" >> ~/.bashrc
```
You can also edit the ~/.bashrc file manually.
Edit manually
Run the following command to open the ~/.bashrc file.
```
nano ~/.bashrc
```
Add the following content to the file.
```
# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
```
In the nano editor, press Ctrl+X and then Y. Press Enter to save and close the file.
Run the following command to make the change take effect:
```
source ~/.bashrc
```
Create a session and run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

Temporary environment variable

To use the API key only in the current session, export it temporarily.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"

Run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

macOS

Permanent environment variable

To make the API key available in all future sessions, export it permanently.

Run the following command to check the default Shell type.
```
echo $SHELL
```
Perform the following operation based on your Shell type.
Zsh
1. Run the following command to add the environment variable to the ~/.zshrc file.
```
# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
echo "export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY='YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY'" >> ~/.zshrc
```
  You can also edit the ~/.zshrc file manually.
  Edit manually
  
  Run the following command to open the configuration file.
  nano ~/.zshrc
  
  Add the following content to the file.
  # Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key. export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
  
  In the nano editor, press Ctrl+X and then Y. Press Enter to save and close the file.
2. Run the following command to make the change take effect:
```
source ~/.zshrc
```
3. Create a session and run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```
Bash
1. Run the following command to add the environment variable to the ~/.bash_profile file.
```
# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
echo "export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY='YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY'" >> ~/.bash_profile
```
  You can also edit the ~/.bash_profile file manually.
  Edit manually
  
  Run the following command to open the file.
  nano ~/.bash_profile
  
  Add the following content to the file.
  # Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key. export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"
  
  In the nano editor, press Ctrl+X and then Y. Press Enter to save and close the file.
2. Run the following command to make the change take effect:
```
source ~/.bash_profile
```
3. Create a session and run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

Temporary environment variable

To use the API key only in the current session, export it temporarily.

The following commands work only for Zsh and Bash.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"

Run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

Windows

In Windows, you can export environment variables using System Properties, Command Line, or PowerShell.

System Properties

Note

The environment variable configured in this way is permanently effective.
Modifying system environment variable requires administrative permissions.
After configuring the environment variable, it will not affect already-running programs. Restart IDEs and command windows, or open a new command line, to load the new variable.

Press Win+Q on your desktop. Enter "Edit the system environment variables" in the search box, and click to open the System Properties window.
In the System Properties window, click Environment Variables. In the System Variables section, click New, enter DASHSCOPE_API_KEY as the variable name, and your actual API Key as the variable value.
Click OK on all three dialog boxes.
Open CMD or Windows PowerShell and run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect.
- CMD:
```
echo %DASHSCOPE_API_KEY%
```
- Windows PowerShell:
```
echo $env:DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

CMD

Permanent environment variable

To make the API key available in all future sessions, export it permanently.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
setx DASHSCOPE_API_KEY "YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"

Create a new session.
Run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo %DASHSCOPE_API_KEY%
```

Temporary environment variable

To use the API key only in the current session, export it temporarily.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
set DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"

Run the following command in the current session to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo %DASHSCOPE_API_KEY%
```

PowerShell

Permanent environment variable

To make the API key available in all future sessions, export it permanently.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("DASHSCOPE_API_KEY", "YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY", [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::User)

Create a session.
Run the following command to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $env:DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

Temporary environment variable

To use the API key only in the current session, export it temporarily.

Run the following command:

# Replace YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY with your API key.
$env:DASHSCOPE_API_KEY = "YOUR_DASHSCOPE_API_KEY"

Run the following command in the current session to check whether the environment variable takes effect:
```
echo $env:DASHSCOPE_API_KEY
```

FAQ

Q: I have run the echo command to confirm the environment variable. But when I run my code, it still says no API key found or invalid API key?

A: The reason may be:

Scenario 1: The environment variable is temporary. Temporary variables only apply to the current terminal session, not already-running IDEs or applications. Refer to the permanent environment variable methods in this topic.
Scenario 2: You have not restarted your IDE, command-line tool, or application.
- Restart IDEs (like VS Code) or command-line tools to load the latest environment variables.
- If you exported the environment variable after deploying your application, restart the application service to reload the variable.
Scenario 3: Add the environment variable to the configuration file. If your application uses a service manager (like systemd or supervisord), add the variable to its configuration file.
Scenario 4: You used the sudo command. Running sudo python xx.py may miss user environment variables because sudo does not inherit all environment variables by default. Use sudo -E python xx.py instead (the -E option ensures environment variables are passed through), or run python xx.py directly if you have permission.
Scenario 5: You may need to configure the base URL of Model Studio. Use one of the following methods:
- Add the base URL to your code:
```
dashscope.base_http_api_url = 'https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1'
```
- Export the base URL as an environment variable:
```
DASHSCOPE_HTTP_BASE_URL='https://dashscope-intl.aliyuncs.com/api/v1'
```