cross-env

Set environment variables cross-platform.

DecliningOpen SourceLow lock-in

Pricing

Free tier

Flat rate

Adoption

Cooling

License

Open Source

Data freshness

Aging · Jun 8, 2026

Overview

What is cross-env?

Cross-env is a tool that allows developers to set environment variables in a way that works across different operating systems, simplifying the development process for multi-platform projects.

Key differentiator

Cross-env stands out as a lightweight, easy-to-use tool specifically designed for setting environment variables in a cross-platform manner, making it ideal for developers working on multi-OS projects.

Capability profile

Capability Radar

Ease of StartEcosystemValueMaturityFlexibilityScale Ready

Honest assessment

Strengths & Weaknesses

↑ Strengths

Cross-platform environment variable settingmedium

Simplifies multi-OS development workflowsmedium

Lightweight and easy to integratemedium

↓ Weaknesses

Limited functionality beyond setting environment variableshigh

cross-env is a single-purpose tool and does not provide additional features such as variable interpolation or complex conditional logic.

Does not support advanced environment managementmedium

It lacks support for more sophisticated environment management tasks like variable expansion, secrets management, or dynamic value generation.

Minimal documentation and community supporthigh

The project has limited official documentation and a small community, which can make troubleshooting difficult.

Fit analysis

Who is it for?

✓ Best for

Developers working on cross-platform projects who need to set environment variables consistently

Teams using CI/CD pipelines that require consistent environment configurations across different operating systems

✕ Not a fit for

Projects that do not involve multiple operating systems or environments

Scenarios where manual configuration of environment variables is preferred over automated tools

Cost structure

Pricing

Free Tier

Available

Open source — free to use

Starts at

$0

Model

Flat rate

Enterprise

None

Performance benchmarks

How Fast Is It?

Ecosystem

Relationships

Next step

Get Started with cross-env

Step-by-step setup guide with code examples and common gotchas.

View Setup Guide →