> This page location: APIs & SDKs > CLI > Setup and context > env
> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

> Summary: The Neon CLI `neon env pull` command writes a branch's Neon environment variables to a local .env file. By default it targets an existing .env file, otherwise .env.local, and only Neon-managed variables are rewritten; other lines in the file are preserved. Use --file to target a specific file, --branch to pull from a specific branch, and --service to pull only selected services.

# Neon CLI command: env

Manage a branch's Neon environment variables locally

The `env` command manages a branch's Neon environment variables locally. [`neon link`](https://neon.com/docs/cli/link) and [`neon checkout`](https://neon.com/docs/cli/checkout) pull env variables automatically by default.

Subcommands: [pull](https://neon.com/docs/cli/env#pull)

## neon env pull

Writes the branch's Neon environment variables to a local `.env` file.

`neon env pull` works with or without a [`neon.ts`](https://neon.com/docs/reference/neon-ts) configuration file. Without one, it writes the branch's core variables (`DATABASE_URL`, `DATABASE_URL_UNPOOLED`, `NEON_BRANCH`). With a `neon.ts`, it also writes credentials for each service you declare (Managed Better Auth, Data API, AI Gateway, Object Storage).

When your `neon.ts` declares functions, `neon env pull` also writes each one's invocation URL as `NEON_FUNCTION_<SLUG>_BASE_URL` (for example, `NEON_FUNCTION_DISCORD_BASE_URL`). The URL is derived from the branch, so the function doesn't have to be deployed yet; the value is the address it will answer at once you deploy it to that branch. Scoping the pull with `--service functions` instead writes URLs only for functions that are already deployed, so a declared-but-undeployed function appears in the default `neon.ts` pull but not with `--service functions`.

Unset function env vars don't block a pull. If a declared function reads a `process.env.*` value that isn't set, `neon env pull` (and the pull that [`neon link`](https://neon.com/docs/cli/link) and [`neon checkout`](https://neon.com/docs/cli/checkout) run) skips that value and writes everything else instead of failing. The commands that actually build or run your functions still require every declared value: `neon deploy`, `neon dev`, and `neon-env run`.

```bash
neon env pull [options]
```

| Option         | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Type   | Default | Required |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | ------- | :------: |
| `--config`     | Path to a neon.ts policy (defaults to the neon.ts next to .neon, or in cwd without one)                                                                                                                                   | string | —       |    No    |
| `--env`, `-e`  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | array  | —       |    No    |
| `--file`       | Target .env file to write, relative to cwd. Defaults to an existing .env, otherwise .env.local, in the project directory (next to .neon, or cwd without one). Only Neon variables are updated; other lines are preserved. | string | —       |    No    |
| `--service`    | Pull only these services' variables: postgres, auth, data-api, functions, object-storage, ai-gateway. Repeat the flag or comma-separate. Overrides neon.ts, and prunes only within the services you name.                 | array  | —       |    No    |
| `--branch`     | Branch ID or name                                                                                                                                                                                                         | string | —       |    No    |
| `--project-id` | Project ID                                                                                                                                                                                                                | string | —       |    No    |

Write the linked branch's Neon variables into `.env.local` (or `.env` if present):

```bash
neon env pull
```

Pull a specific branch into a specific file:

```bash
neon env pull --branch preview --file .env.preview
```

Pull only the variables for the services you name, ignoring `neon.ts`. Repeat `--service` or comma-separate the values (`postgres`, `auth`, `data-api`, `functions`, `object-storage`, `ai-gateway`):

```bash
neon env pull --service ai-gateway --service postgres
```

Use a specific `neon.ts` policy instead of the one in the project directory (next to the nearest `.neon`, or the current directory when there's no `.neon`):

```bash
neon env pull --config ./config/neon.ts
```

---

## Related docs (Setup and context)

- [login](https://neon.com/docs/cli/login)
- [init](https://neon.com/docs/cli/init)
- [ask](https://neon.com/docs/cli/ask)
- [mcp](https://neon.com/docs/cli/mcp)
- [skills](https://neon.com/docs/cli/skills)
- [plugins](https://neon.com/docs/cli/plugins)
- [claim](https://neon.com/docs/cli/claim)
- [bootstrap](https://neon.com/docs/cli/bootstrap)
- [link](https://neon.com/docs/cli/link)
- [checkout](https://neon.com/docs/cli/checkout)
- [git](https://neon.com/docs/cli/git)
- [set-context](https://neon.com/docs/cli/set-context)
- [open](https://neon.com/docs/cli/open)
- [me](https://neon.com/docs/cli/me)
- [profile](https://neon.com/docs/cli/profile)
- [api-keys](https://neon.com/docs/cli/api-keys)
- [completion](https://neon.com/docs/cli/completion)
- [feedback](https://neon.com/docs/cli/feedback)

---

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