env-configure-path

Skill Content

---
name: env-configure-path
description: Use this skill when the user wants to add custom paths to the system or user PATH environment variable, make tools accessible from command line, or configure environment variable paths. Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
  displayName: Configure Environment Variable Paths
  domain: env
  action: configure
  object: path
  tags: [env, path, environment]
  type: SKILL
inputs:
  - name: path
    type: string
    required: false
    description: Path to add to the PATH environment variable
  - name: variable_name
    type: string
    required: false
    description: Name of the environment variable to set (e.g., JAVA_HOME)
  - name: variable_value
    type: string
    required: false
    description: Value for the environment variable
---
# Configure Environment Variable Paths

## Purpose

This Skill enables adding arbitrary paths to the system PATH environment variable or setting specific environment variables (such as JAVA_HOME, NODE_HOME, etc.).

## Trigger Conditions

Use this Skill when:
- After installing new software, need to add its bin directory to PATH
- Configure environment variables for development tools (JAVA_HOME, PYTHON_HOME, etc.)
- Temporarily add custom tool paths to PATH

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Example |
|-----------|------|----------|-------------|---------|
| `path` | string | No | Path to add to the PATH environment variable | Path to software bin directory |
| `variable_name` | string | No | Name of the environment variable to set | JAVA_HOME, NODE_HOME, etc. |
| `variable_value` | string | No | Value for the environment variable | Installation directory path |

## Execution Steps

### Step 1: Validate Input Parameters

- If `path` is provided, verify the path exists on the system
- If `variable_name` and `variable_value` are provided, validate the variable name format (alphanumeric and underscore only)
- If validation fails, inform the user with specific error message

### Step 2: Determine Current Environment

- Detect the operating system and shell environment
- Identify the appropriate configuration method for the platform
- Use user-level environment variables (not system-level)

### Step 3: Set Environment Variable (if requested)

If `variable_name` and `variable_value` are provided:

**Approach:**
- Check if the environment variable already exists
- If exists with different value, update it
- If doesn't exist, create it
- Avoid duplicate entries
- Use platform-appropriate method to set user-level environment variable

### Step 4: Add Path to PATH (if requested)

If `path` is provided:

**Approach:**
- Read current PATH environment variable
- Check if the path already exists in PATH (avoid duplicates)
- If not present, add the path to PATH
- Use platform-appropriate path separator and method

### Step 5: Verify and Inform User

After configuration:
- Confirm the changes have been applied
- Inform user that terminal restart may be required for changes to take effect
- Provide verification commands appropriate for their system

## Constraints

- Only responsible for environment variable configuration, not software installation
- Idempotent: check if correctly configured, do not rewrite if already set properly
- Validate path existence before adding to avoid invalid PATH entries
- Avoid duplicate entries in PATH or duplicate variable definitions
- User-level environment variables only (no system-wide changes requiring admin privileges)
- Do not assume specific directory structures - use provided parameters

## Error Handling

- **Path doesn't exist**: Inform user with clear error message, suggest verifying the installation path
- **Permission denied**: Inform user that admin privileges may be required for system-level variables, suggest using user-level instead
- **Invalid variable name**: Validate environment variable name format before attempting to set
- **Shell config file not found**: Inform user and suggest creating appropriate file for their shell