Environment Variables

Environment variables are settings in an operating system that store information about the system's environment. They are used by programs to retrieve configuration details such as paths to important files, system types, and user preferences. Think of them as labels in a file cabinet that help programs find what they need to operate correctly. For instance, an environment variable might tell a program where to find a database it needs to connect to. These variables make software more flexible and help ensure it works seamlessly with different systems and user settings.