# Environment variables (/docs/reference/environment)



## Read by warden [#read-by-warden]

| Variable                 | Effect                                                                                    |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `WARDEN_HOME`            | state directory (default `~/.warden`): db, builds, skill                                  |
| `WARDEN_SESSION_ID`      | treat the caller as this agent session                                                    |
| `CLAUDE_CODE_SESSION_ID` | Claude Code session, detected as the owner                                                |
| `CI`, `GITHUB_RUN_ID`    | detected as a CI owner                                                                    |
| `WARDEN_GOLDEN=0`        | don't clone new sims from golden images                                                   |
| `WARDEN_ARRANGE=0`       | don't tile Simulator.app windows after iOS claims                                         |
| `WARDEN_AUTO_GC=0`       | turn off background auto-gc                                                               |
| `WARDEN_BACKGROUND=0`    | turn off every detached worker (auto-gc, SessionEnd shutdown)                             |
| `WARDEN_RELEASE_REPO`    | GitHub repo `warden update` downloads releases from (default `delacournz/warden`)         |
| `CODEX_HOME`             | Codex config directory (default `~/.codex`)                                               |
| `WARDEN_BINARY`          | npm package only: run this binary instead of the platform package's                       |
| `WARDEN_NPM_REGISTRY`    | npm registry `warden update` uses for npm installs (default `https://registry.npmjs.org`) |

## Set by `warden run` [#set-by-warden-run]

| Variable                             | Value                                       |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| `WARDEN_UDIDS`                       | every claimed udid / serial                 |
| `WARDEN_UDID_<i>`                    | the i-th device                             |
| `WARDEN_LEASE_IDS`                   | every lease id                              |
| `WARDEN_PORTS`                       | every leased port                           |
| `WARDEN_PORT_<i>`                    | the i-th `--port` lease                     |
| `WARDEN_APP_PATH`, `WARDEN_APP_HASH` | with `--app`: installed build + fingerprint |