Define Environment Variables

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Cloud Foundry lets you externalize configuration - storing data such as encryption keys or external resource addresses in environment variables.

At runtime, environment variables are exposed to the application through its environment. You can use these for example to run Node.js in production mode setting the NODE_ENV environment variable.

$ cf set-env my-nodejs-app NODE_ENV production
Setting env variable 'NODE_ENV' to 'production' for app my-nodejs-app in org MyOrg / space MySpace as user@smydomain.com...
OK
TIP: Use 'cf restage' to ensure your env variable changes take effect

Then restage your app as suggested using

$ cf restage my-nodejs-app
Restaging app my-nodejs-app in org MyOrg / space MySpace as user@mydomain.com...
-----> Downloaded app package (8.0K)
-----> Downloaded app buildpack cache (2.3M)
-------> Buildpack version 1.5.8

...

All environment variables are accessed using the process.env namespace from within your Node.js app.