URL: /sdk/configuration

---
title: 'Configuration'
icon: 'gear'
---

The Open Electricity SDKs are configured using environment variables. While you can apply settings directly in the code when initialising a client, this
is not recommended for security and maintainability.

## Environment Variables

The following environment variables are supported:

| Variable | Required | Description | Default |
|----------|----------|-------------|---------|
| `OPENELECTRICITY_API_KEY` | Yes | Your API authentication key | `None` |
| `OPENELECTRICITY_API_URL` | No | The API endpoint | `https://api.openelectricity.org.au/v4` |

## Setting Environment Variables

The following code shows how to set the environment variables in your operating system:

<CodeGroup>
```bash macos
export OPELECTRICITY_API_KEY=your-api-key
```

```bash windows
set OPELECTRICITY_API_KEY=your-api-key
```
</CodeGroup>

## Environment Variables in Apps

Most applications in Python, Javascript and Typescript will support the use of environment variables. You can manage your environment variables
in `.env` files in the root of your project. Python supports loading environment variables from `.env` files using the `python-dotenv` package.

In Javascript and Typescript you can use the `dotenv` package to load environment variables from a `.env` file.

For loading environment variables on your system that are only relevant to a folder, it is recommended to use the [direnv tool](https://direnv.net/).