Environment variables

Every DREADNODE_* variable the TUI, CLI, and runtime read — platform identity, logging, LLM proxy, runtime transport, and capability overrides.

Environment variables override profile config and CLI defaults. They’re useful for scripts, CI, sandboxes, and sharing a runtime between multiple TUI processes.

Platform identity

These mirror the CLI flags — set them in a shell to avoid typing --server, --api-key, etc. every time.

Variable	What it sets
`DREADNODE_SERVER`	Platform API URL
`DREADNODE_API_KEY`	API key for authentication
`DREADNODE_ORGANIZATION`	Organization slug
`DREADNODE_WORKSPACE`	Workspace key
`DREADNODE_PROJECT`	Project slug

Resolution order: CLI flag → env var → saved profile → built-in default.

Logging

Variable	Effect
`DREADNODE_LOG_LEVEL`	Log level for the TUI and runtime (`debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`). Default `info`
`DREADNODE_LOG_FILE`	Write logs to this file in addition to stderr
`DREADNODE_DEBUG`	When set to any truthy value, print full stack traces on CLI errors

LLM proxy (BYOK)

When a model doesn’t ship through the Dreadnode platform, the TUI sends requests through an LLM proxy using these variables. Setting them in the TUI via /secrets writes them into the current process.

Variable	Effect
`DREADNODE_LLM_BASE`	Base URL of the LLM proxy (e.g. a LiteLLM router)
`DREADNODE_LLM_API_KEY`	API key for the LLM proxy

Runtime transport

The TUI and agent runtime talk to each other over a local HTTP server. These control where it binds.

Variable	Effect
`DREADNODE_RUNTIME_URL`	Connect to a runtime at this URL instead of starting one locally
`DREADNODE_RUNTIME_HOST`	Host the local runtime binds to. Default `127.0.0.1`
`DREADNODE_RUNTIME_PORT`	Port the local runtime binds to. Default `8787`
`DREADNODE_RUNTIME_TOKEN`	Bearer token gating `/api/*` when the runtime is reachable from outside
`DREADNODE_RUNTIME_ID`	Set automatically when running inside a managed sandbox. Presence flips a few behaviors (e.g. sandbox-mounted storage, `host` label `sandbox`)

DREADNODE_SERVER_HOST, DREADNODE_SERVER_PORT, and SANDBOX_AUTH_TOKEN are deprecated aliases — they still work, but prefer the RUNTIME_* spellings.

Capabilities

Variable	Effect
`DREADNODE_CAPABILITY_DIRS`	Colon-separated additional capability directories to scan
`DREADNODE_CAPABILITY_FLAG__<CAP>__<FLAG>`	Override a capability’s flag. Example: `DREADNODE_CAPABILITY_FLAG__WEB_SECURITY__STRICT_MODE=true`
`DREADNODE_WORKSPACE_CAPABILITIES_DIR`	Workspace-wide capability directory (typically set inside managed sandboxes)

See Capability env vars for how capability authors can declare variables their own tools consume.

Context markers

Set automatically by the platform — not normally something you override.

Variable	Set when
`DREADNODE_SESSION_ID`	A session is active in an automated context (e.g. `airt` assessment runner)
`DREADNODE_PROJECT_ROOT`	The runtime starts inside a project directory