Environment Variables in Test

When testing, it's often helpful to launch your application or test runner with custom environment variables set. For example, environment variables can be used to control the behavior of your application or provide tests with sign-in information.

For most frameworks, useful environment variables are available within the test, application, or both. You can set additional environment variables via the App Center CLI.

Support by framework

In App Center, some frameworks and platform combinations support setting and using custom environment variables as well as using variables that are made available to your application and tests automatically (for example RUNNING_IN_APP_CENTER and APP_CENTER_TEST).

This table lists environment variables supported for each framework or platform:

Environment variables available in your application

For supported frameworks, these environment variables are available within the application:

Environment variables available in your tests

For supported frameworks, these environment variables are available within the tests:

Setting additional environment variables

When you upload your tests to App Center with the CLI, you can request environment variables be set using the --test-parameter option. Environment variables can be set for test runner and for your application (the application under test or AUT).

Environment variables for your tests

$ appcenter test run < > \
  < args > \
  --test-parameter "test_env=USERNAME=clever_user@example.com" \
  --test-parameter "test_env=PASSWORD=pa$$w0rd" \
  --test-parameter "test_env=TWO_FACTOR_URL=https://staging.example.com/test-2FA" \
  --test-parameter "test_env=UPGRADE_PURCHASED=0"

Environment variables for your application

$ appcenter test run < > \
  < args > \
  --test-parameter "app_env=VERBOSE_LOGGING=1" \
  --test-parameter "app_env=CONTENT_SERVER=staging.example.com \
  --test-parameter "app_env=API_LEVEL=3.2" \
  --test-parameter "app_env=UPGRADE_PURCHASED=0"

Using environment variables in your tests

Sample Appium test code:

The following code snippet shows how to access environment variables in App Center Test using Appium

String appCenterTest = System.getenv("APP_CENTER_TEST");

Sample Calabash test code:

The following code snippet shows how to access environment variables in App Center Test using Calabash

app_center_test = ENV["APP_CENTER_TEST"]

Sample Espresso test code

Since Android doesn't support environment variables, App Center Test sets InstrumentationRegistry values instead for Espresso. The following code snippet shows how to access the InstrumentationRegistry values.

String appCenterTest = InstrumentationRegistry.getArguments().getString("APP_CENTER_TEST");

Sample Xamarin.UITest test code

The following code snippet shows how to access environment variables in App Center Test using Xamarin.UITest:

string appCenterTest = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("APP_CENTER_TEST");

Using environment variables in your application

Sample native Android application code

Since Android doesn't support environment variables, App Center Test sets InstrumentationRegistry values instead. The following code snippet shows how to access the InstrumentationRegistry values.

String runningInAppCenter = InstrumentationRegistry.getArguments().getString("RUNNING_IN_APP_CENTER");

Sample native iOS application code

Native iOS applications access environment variables through the NSProcessInfo API.

[[NSProcessInfo processInfo] environment]["RUNNING_IN_APP_CENTER"]

ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["RUNNING_IN_APP_CENTER"]

Getting help

You can contact support in the App Center portal. In the upper right corner of screen, select the Help (?) menu, then choose 'Contact support'. Our dedicated support team will respond to your questions.

If you want help with a test run, navigate to the test run in question and copy the URL from your browser and paste it into the support conversation. A test run URL looks like something like https://appcenter.ms/orgs/OrgName/apps/App-Name/test/runs/77a1c67e-2cfb-4bbd-a75a-eb2b4fd0a747.