How to Use the export Command in Linux

Category: Advanced – Command Line • Est. reading time: 1 minute

The export command makes a shell variable available to the programs and scripts you run afterward, not just the current shell.

Export a variable

VARIABLE=42
export VARIABLE

# or in one line:
export VARIABLE=42

Add a folder to your PATH

PATH=/path/to/add:$PATH
export PATH

Export a function (bash)

function myfunc() {
    echo "In myfunc"
}
export -f myfunc

Note: an export lasts only for the current session. To make it permanent, add the lines to your shell profile, such as ~/.bashrc.

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