---
title: Access your Worker's environment variables from process.env
description: With Node.js compatibility on, process.env is automatically populated with environment variables and secrets
image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/changelog-preview.png
---

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## Access your Worker's environment variables from process.env

Mar 11, 2025 

[ Workers ](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/) 

You can now access [environment variables](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/environment-variables/) and [secrets](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/secrets/) on [process.env](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/runtime-apis/nodejs/process/#processenv)when using the [nodejs\_compat compatibility flag](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/compatibility-flags/#nodejs-compatibility-flag).

JavaScript

```
const apiClient = ApiClient.new({ apiKey: process.env.API_KEY });const LOG_LEVEL = process.env.LOG_LEVEL || "info";
```

In Node.js, environment variables are exposed via the global `process.env` object. Some libraries assume that this object will be populated, and many developers may be used to accessing variables in this way.

Previously, the `process.env` object was always empty unless written to in Worker code. This could cause unexpected errors or friction when developing Workers using code previously written for Node.js.

Now, [environment variables](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/environment-variables/), [secrets](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/secrets/), and [version metadata](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/runtime-apis/bindings/version-metadata/)can all be accessed on `process.env`.

To opt-in to the new `process.env` behaviour now, add the [nodejs\_compat\_populate\_process\_env](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/configuration/compatibility-flags/#enable-auto-populating-processenv) compatibility flag to your `wrangler.json` configuration:

* [  wrangler.jsonc ](#tab-panel-2775)
* [  wrangler.toml ](#tab-panel-2776)

JSONC

```
{  // Rest of your configuration  // Add "nodejs_compat_populate_process_env" to your compatibility_flags array  "compatibility_flags": ["nodejs_compat", "nodejs_compat_populate_process_env"],  // Rest of your configuration
```

TOML

```
compatibility_flags = [ "nodejs_compat", "nodejs_compat_populate_process_env" ]
```

After April 1, 2025, populating `process.env` will become the default behavior when both `nodejs_compat` is enabled and your Worker's `compatibility_date` is after "2025-04-01".

```json
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```