---
name: "pam_getenv"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "libpam-runtime"
version: "1.7.0-5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pam_getenv"
---

# pam\_getenv(8)

get environment variables from /etc/environment

## NAME

pam\_getenv - get environment variables from /etc/environment

## SYNOPSIS

pam\_getenv **\[-l\] \[-s\]** *env\_var*

## DESCRIPTION

This tool  will print out the value of *env\_var* from */etc/environment*.  It will attempt to expand environment variable references in the definition of *env\_var* but will fail if PAM items are expanded.

The **-l** option indicates the script should return an environment variable related to default locale information.

The **-s** option indicates that the script should return an system default environment variable.

Currently neither the **-l** or **-s** options do anything.  They are included because future versions of Debian may have a separate repository for the initial environment used by init scripts and for system locale information.  These options will allow this script to be a stable interface even in that environment.