Linux / Unix: Bash Shell See All Exported Variables and Functions

May 7, 2012June 19, 2012in BASH Shell last updated June 19, 2012

How do I see a list of all exported variables and functions under Unix bash shell?

The export command makes your local variables global. The syntax is as follows:

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin:~/bin
export EDITOR=/usr/local/bin/vim
export SHELL=/bin/ksh
export LANG=En_US
export PAGER=/usr/local/bin/most

To make your local shell variables global automatically, export them in your ~/.profile or ~/.bash_profile file under Unix like operating systems. To see a list of all exported variables and functions pass the -p option to the export command:

export -p
export -p | grep  something
export -p | less
export -p | more

Sample outputs:

DISPLAY=unix:0
EDITOR=vim
HISTFILE=/home/vivek/.bash_history
HISTSIZE=1000
HOME=/home/vivek
LANG=En_IN
LOGNAME=vivek
MAIL=/usr/mail/vivek
MAILCHECK=0
PWD=/home/vivek
SHELL=/bin/bash

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. He has worked with global clients and in various industries, including IT, education, defense and space research, and the nonprofit sector. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+.

6 comment

joebob says:

May 12, 2012 at 1:57 am

‘set’ will display all defined variables and functions in your current session.
Antonius says:

May 23, 2012 at 5:24 am

Can i use that for setting JAVA_HOME at bash profile ? How to make it permanent ?
thoran says:

May 30, 2012 at 12:11 am

There’s also `env`, or `env | sort` if one desires sorted output as per export -p.
LaGunA says:

June 28, 2012 at 7:33 am

@Antonius: Yes, of course you can. Add the following lines:
export JAVA_HOME=/path/to/your/java/installation
export PATH=JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
to ~/.bash_profile (or ~/.bashrc) and you’re done! :)
Leslie Satenstein says:

March 10, 2014 at 1:22 am

undo an export
a parameter was exported to the current shell.

I use a few different scripts that follow using that exported parameter
Now I want to remove that exported variable.

Aside from logging out, is the only way to remove it to set it to a null string?
1. Nix Craft says:
  
  March 10, 2014 at 4:36 am
  Try unset command:
  unset VAR_NAME
  For example:
```
export FOO=bar
echo $FOO
bash
echo $FOO
exit
unset FOO
echo $FOO
```

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Tagged as: CentOS, debian, export command, export path, fedora, FreeBSD, grep command, less command, Linux, mailcheck, more command, NetBSD, Openbsd, rhel, shell variables, ubuntu, UNIX

Posted by: Vivek Gite

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6 comment