Adding Your Own Environment Variables

An environment variable is a named value your app can read while it runs. It is the standard, safe place to keep secrets — things like an API key for Stripe, Google Gemini, OpenAI, or an email service. The secret stays out of your code and out of your pages, but your app can still use it.

Before you start

• You need the value you want to store — for example, the API key from your provider's dashboard.
• This feature ships with LlamaPress version 0.7.1 and newer. If you don't see "Your Variables" in Settings, email support@llamapress.ai and we'll update your instance.

Step 1 — Add the variable in Settings

1. Open your app in LlamaPress so you can see the Leo chat panel.
2. Click the Settings icon ( the cog at the top, next to Leo's name).
3. Click Environment & Models.
4. Find the Your Variables section.
5. Click Add Variable.
6. Type the key name. Use all capital letters, no spaces, with an underscore (_) between words — for example GEMINI_API_KEY or STRIPE_SECRET_KEY.
7. Paste the value.
8. Click Save.

Step 2 — Restart your app

Your app only reads environment variables when it starts. So after you save a new variable, restart the app:

1. Click into the Leo chat box.
2. Type / — a command menu appears.
3. Type restart and press Enter.

Leo restarts your application. This takes a moment — your app may be briefly unavailable while it comes back up. When it's back, the new variable is live.

Step 3 — Use it in your app

Now you (or Leo) can read the value anywhere in your Rails app with ENV["YOUR_KEY_NAME"]. The easiest way: just tell Leo the variable exists. For example:

"I added a variable called GEMINI_API_KEY in Settings. Please use it to connect the app to the Gemini API."

Leo will wire it up with ENV["GEMINI_API_KEY"] in the right place — without ever writing the secret itself into your code.

Updating or removing a variable

Go back to Settings → Environment & Models → Your Variables. You can change a value or remove a variable there. After any change, run /restart again so the app picks it up.

Troubleshooting

• The app can't see my variable. Did you restart? New and changed variables only take effect after /restart.
• My key name won't save. Check the naming rules: all capital letters, no spaces, underscores between words.
• I don't see "Your Variables" in Settings. Your instance may be on an older version. Email support@llamapress.ai and we'll update it.
• The integration still fails after the restart. Double-check the value for extra spaces at the start or end, and confirm the key is active in your provider's dashboard. See Common Errors and Fixes for more.

Want to see everything else Leo can do? Read Leo Tools and Features. Curious what happens to your app's code and data over time? See You Own Your App.