Add a variable

You can configure custom variables from the workspace's Variables tab. In the variable mode, they'll be accessible in the User variables category.

1. From the Variables tab in your workspace, click Add variable.
2. Enter a name for your variable, keeping it under 32 characters. For example, API_KEY.
3. Select a variable type:
   • String
   • Integer
   • Float
   • Boolean
   • JSON
   • Array
4. Select a binding time:
   • Runtime. These variables resolve at the request phase, deriving their values from the incoming requests or external lookups.
   • Compile time. These variables resolve at the moment you activate your configuration. They are ideal for infrastructure-level settings that don't change often.
5. Optionally, provide a description.
6. Select a security setting to prevent exposing sensitive data in headers or logs:
   • Visible: Variables will be returned to the client in the X-Akamai-Session-Info header, but only if the request includes the Pragma: akamai-x-get-extracted-values header.
   • Hidden: Hidden variables won't be returned in the X-Akamai-Session-Info header even if the debug header is used.
   • Sensitive: Reserved for high-security data, such as personally identifiable information (PII). Sensitive variables can't be sent to end-users through Set-Cookie or response header behaviors, and they're not included in custom logging fields. They propagate their "Sensitive" attribute to any new variable derived from them.
7. Enter an initial value. This is a string of alphanumeric text that's dynamically deployed when you reference a variable. Changes to this value apply everywhere the variable is used unless overridden.
8. Review your entries and click Save.

The variable is now available across all components within your workspace.
You can override variable values at the environment level.