Power Apps CLI environment variables

Use environment variables to configure Power Apps CLI authentication and provide command options in scripts and CI/CD pipelines. Environment variables defined by the Power Apps CLI use the PA_CLI_ prefix.

Note

Environment variables are named values that the operating system makes available to applications. Power Apps CLI recognizes the variables described in this reference. To learn how environment variables work and how to manage them, see about Environment Variables.

This reference describes operating system environment variables that configure the Power Apps CLI. These variables are different from Power Platform solution environment variables, which store configuration values used by an app.

For a command option, the CLI resolves a value in this order:

1. Command-line option
2. Environment variable
3. Default value, if the option has one
4. Interactive prompt, when supported

An option supplied on the command line takes precedence over its corresponding environment variable.

Important

Environment variables can expose secrets to other processes, logs, or shell history. Store PA_CLI_SP_CLIENT_SECRET in your CI/CD platform's secret store, mask it from logs, and don't commit secrets to source control.

Set environment variables

The following examples set PA_CLI_ENVIRONMENT_ID before running a Power Apps CLI command.

PowerShell

$env:PA_CLI_ENVIRONMENT_ID = "<environment-id>"
pa app list

Bash

export PA_CLI_ENVIRONMENT_ID="<environment-id>"
pa app list

The environment variable remains available to commands started from the same terminal session. Use your shell's standard command to remove it when it's no longer needed.

Authentication

Environment variable	Description
PA_CLI_ACCOUNT	Specifies the account for pa auth login or pa auth switch.
PA_CLI_SP_CLIENT_ID	Specifies the Microsoft Entra application (client) ID for service principal authentication.
PA_CLI_SP_CLIENT_SECRET	Specifies the client secret for service principal authentication.
PA_CLI_SP_TENANT_ID	Specifies the Microsoft Entra directory (tenant) ID for service principal authentication.
PA_CLI_USE_SP_AUTH	Set the value to true (lowercase) to use service principal authentication.

The three PA_CLI_SP_* credential variables are required when service principal authentication is selected. Although CI=true also selects service principal authentication for compatibility, use PA_CLI_USE_SP_AUTH=true to make the authentication mode explicit.

For setup instructions, see Publish Power Apps code apps with a service principal.

Global command options

These variables correspond to options that are available across Power Apps CLI commands.

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_CLOUD	--cloud	Selects the target cloud. Valid values are: - public (default) - usgov - usgovhigh - usgovdod - china Values are case-insensitive.
PA_CLI_ENVIRONMENT_ID	--environment-id	Specifies the target Power Platform environment ID.

App initialization

These variables supply options to pa app init.

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_APP_BUILD_PATH	--build-path	Specifies the build output directory. The default is ./dist.
PA_CLI_APP_DESCRIPTION	--description	Specifies the app description.
PA_CLI_APP_DISPLAY_NAME	--display-name	Specifies the app display name.
PA_CLI_APP_FILE_ENTRY_POINT	--file-entry-point	Specifies the HTML entry point in the build output. The default is index.html.
PA_CLI_APP_TYPE	--app-type	Specifies the app type. Valid values are: - CodeApp (default) - MobileApp The value is saved in power.config.json and used as the app type when the app is published.
PA_CLI_APP_URL	--app-url	Specifies the local app URL during pa app init. The value is saved as localAppUrl in power.config.json and becomes the default URL for future pa app run commands. The default is http://localhost:3000.

Run apps

These variables supply options to pa app run.

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_LOCAL_APP_URL	--local-app-url	Overrides the localAppUrl value from power.config.json for the current command without changing the saved configuration. If neither value is set, the default is http://localhost:3000.
PA_CLI_PORT	--port	Specifies the port for the Power Apps local host. The default is 8080.

Share apps

These variables supply options to pa app share.

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_SHARE_ACCESS	--access	Specifies the access level. Valid values are: - play (default) - edit
PA_CLI_SHARE_PRINCIPAL	--principal	Specifies one or more comma-separated email addresses or Microsoft Entra object IDs.

Solutions, connectors, and data sources

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_CONNECTION_DISPLAY_NAME	--display-name	Specifies the display name when creating a connection.
PA_CLI_CONNECTION_ID	--connection-id	Specifies a connector connection instance ID.
PA_CLI_CONNECTION_REF	--connection-ref	Specifies a connection reference logical name.
PA_CLI_CONNECTION_SEARCH	--search	Filters results from pa connection list.
PA_CLI_CONNECTOR	--connector	Specifies a connector ID, such as shared_office365users.
PA_CLI_CONNECTOR_SEARCH	--search	Filters results from pa connector list.
PA_CLI_DATASET	--dataset	Specifies a dataset, such as a SharePoint site or SQL database.
PA_CLI_DATA_SOURCE_NAME	--name	Specifies the data source to refresh or remove.
PA_CLI_ORG_URL	--org-url	Overrides the Dataverse organization URL used to retrieve metadata when adding a data source.
PA_CLI_PROCEDURE	--procedure	Specifies a SQL stored procedure.
PA_CLI_SOLUTION_ID	--solution-id	Specifies the solution for pa app push, pa app add data-source, or pa connection list-references.
PA_CLI_SOLUTION_SEARCH	--search	Filters results from pa solution list.
PA_CLI_TABLE	--table	Specifies a table or connector resource name.

For the commands that accept each option, see the Power Apps CLI command reference.

Dataverse APIs and Power Automate flows

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_DATAVERSE_API_NAME	--api-name	Specifies the Dataverse action or function to add with pa app add dataverse-api.
PA_CLI_DATAVERSE_API_SEARCH_TERM	--search	Filters Dataverse actions and functions by name with pa app find-dataverse-api.
PA_CLI_FLOW_DATA_SOURCE_NAME	--flow-name	Specifies the flow data source to remove from the app with pa app remove flow
PA_CLI_FLOW_ID	--flow-id	Specifies the Power Automate flow to add with pa app add flow.
PA_CLI_FLOW_SEARCH	--search	Filters the available Power Automate flows by name with pa app list-flows
PA_CLI_REMOVE_FLOW_ID	--flow-id	Specifies the Power Automate flow to remove with pa app remove flow

Telemetry and console output

Environment variable	Corresponding option	Description
PA_CLI_CONSOLE_ONLY	--console-only	Set the value to true (lowercase) with pa telemetry enable or pa telemetry disable to write telemetry only to the console and not send it remotely.
PA_CLI_OUTPUT_TO_CONSOLE	--output-to-console	Set the value to true (lowercase) with pa telemetry enable or pa telemetry disable to mirror remotely sent telemetry events to the console.
PA_CLI_TELEMETRY	None	Set one of these values to disable telemetry for the current process: - 0 - false - no - off Values are case-insensitive, and surrounding spaces are ignored.

For persistent telemetry settings, see Manage telemetry settings for the Power Apps CLI.

Standard environment variables

The CLI also observes this standard environment variable:

Environment variable	Description
NO_COLOR	Set this variable to a nonempty value to disable ANSI color output. You can also use the --no-color option.

Related information

• Power Apps CLI command reference
• Publish Power Apps code apps with a service principal
• Manage telemetry settings for the Power Apps CLI