Env Config Injection

Supply the whole user-config layer from a single environment variable — no config.yaml is read or written to disk. Pairs with PRAISONAI_AUTH_CONTENT so one CI secret set provides auth and config for a stateless run.

Quick Start

Inline (YAML)

export PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT='agent:
  model: gpt-4o-mini
permissions:
  deny:
    - "rm -rf /"'

praisonai run "Summarise this repo"

from praisonaiagents import Agent

# Model + permissions come from PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT — no ~/.praisonai/config.yaml
agent = Agent(name="assistant", instructions="Be helpful.")
agent.start("What model am I using?")

Inline (JSON)

export PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT='{"agent":{"model":"gpt-4o-mini"},"mcp":{"srv":{"url":"https://mcp.example.com"}}}'
praisonai run "List MCP tools"

Explicit path (PRAISONAI_CONFIG)

export PRAISONAI_CONFIG=/etc/praisonai/prod.yaml
praisonai run "Ship it"

Auth + config in one env set (zero-disk CI)

export PRAISONAI_AUTH_CONTENT='{"openai":{"api_key":"sk-...","auth_method":"apikey"}}'
export PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT='agent:
  model: gpt-4o-mini'
praisonai run "Run my CI task"
# Nothing is written to ~/.praisonai — both auth and config live in memory only.

Which one should I use?

Pick the source that matches where your config already lives.

Precedence

The env-config layer occupies the same slot as the discovered global/project files, so higher layers still win. Key rules:

PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT (inline) wins over PRAISONAI_CONFIG (path) — inline replaces the path layer entirely.
When either is set, no global/project config.yaml on disk is read for the user-config layer.
Per-key env vars (PRAISONAI_MODEL, OPENAI_API_BASE, …) and CLI flags still override the env blob.
Managed policy (permissions, model_allowlist) is still enforced on top.

A valid empty mapping ({}) is authoritative — it suppresses file discovery instead of falling back. Only invalid blobs (non-mapping / unparseable) warn and fall back to discovery.

Configuration Options

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT`	inline JSON or YAML blob	unset	Parsed in memory as the user-config layer. Supports `${VAR}` / `{env:VAR}` / `{file:...}` interpolation, same as an on-disk file.
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG`	file path	unset	Explicit config file loaded in place of global/project discovery. Ignored when `PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT` is set.

Provenance

See which layer supplied each key with the env-config: label.

praisonai config show --sources
# agent.model            env-config:env:PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT
# permissions.deny       env-config:env:PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT

from praisonai_code.cli.configuration.resolver import ConfigResolver

prov = ConfigResolver().resolve_with_provenance()
print(prov["agent.model"]["layer"])   # -> "env-config"

Fallback & Warning Behaviour

Situation	Behaviour
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT` is not valid JSON/YAML	`UserWarning` (`Ignoring PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT: value is not valid JSON/YAML.`), fall back to file discovery
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT` parses to a list/scalar (not a mapping)	`UserWarning` (`value must be a mapping.`), fall back to file discovery
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG_CONTENT` is `{}` (empty mapping)	Authoritative — file discovery is not re-enabled
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG` points at a missing file	`UserWarning`, fall back to file discovery
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG` points at a valid but non-mapping file	`UserWarning`, fall back to file discovery
`PRAISONAI_CONFIG` points at an empty (valid-YAML) file	Authoritative — file discovery is not re-enabled

Best Practices

🔒 Treat the blob as a secret

It can contain provider URLs, tenant IDs, and deny rules. Inject only from a secrets manager; never commit it.

📦 Compose with PRAISONAI_AUTH_CONTENT

An auth blob plus a config blob together give a true zero-disk run — nothing touches ~/.praisonai.

🧭 Use PRAISONAI_CONFIG for mounted volumes

Kubernetes ConfigMaps mounted as files pair naturally with the explicit path variable.

🧪 Verify with praisonai config show --sources

The env-config: label confirms the env layer won for each key.

CLI Configuration

The full layered precedence hierarchy.

Security Environment Variables

PRAISONAI_AUTH_CONTENT and other security env vars.

Managed Config Layer

Org-enforced policy on top of every layer.

XDG Base Directories

Where PraisonAI writes its persistent state.

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Getting Started (No Code)

Env Config Injection

Quick Start

Which one should I use?

Precedence

Configuration Options

Provenance

Fallback & Warning Behaviour

Best Practices

CLI Configuration

Security Environment Variables

Managed Config Layer

XDG Base Directories

​Quick Start

​Which one should I use?

​Precedence

​Configuration Options

​Provenance

​Fallback & Warning Behaviour

​Best Practices

​Related

CLI Configuration

Security Environment Variables

Managed Config Layer

XDG Base Directories

Quick Start

Which one should I use?

Precedence

Configuration Options

Provenance

Fallback & Warning Behaviour

Best Practices

Related