SkillLite Environment Variables Reference

This document lists all environment variables supported by SkillLite, including default values, type descriptions, and usage scenarios.

tools-only Updated Sep 29, 2026 7 repo stars

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SkillLite Environment Variables Reference

This document lists all environment variables supported by SkillLite, including default values, type descriptions, and usage scenarios.

Quick Start: Only BASE_URL, API_KEY, and MODEL are required to run
Full Template: See .env.example.full

LLM API Configuration

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`BASE_URL`	string	-	Required. LLM API endpoint, e.g. `https://api.deepseek.com/v1`
`API_KEY`	string	-	Required. LLM API key
`MODEL`	string	`deepseek-chat`	Model name

Usage: Required for all LLM calls. Supports any OpenAI-compatible API provider (DeepSeek, Qwen, Ollama, etc.).

Skills & Output

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`SKILLS_DIR`	string	`./.skills`	Skills directory path, supports relative/absolute paths
`SKILLLITE_SKILLS_DIR`	string	-	Same as above (alias)
`SKILLLITE_OUTPUT_DIR`	string	`{workspace_root}/output`	Output directory for reports, images, etc.
`SKILLBOX_SKILLS_ROOT`	string	Current working directory	Root directory for skill paths in sandbox; skill_dir must be under it

Network Configuration

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`ALLOW_NETWORK`	bool	`False`	Whether to allow Skills to access the network
`SKILLBOX_ALLOW_NETWORK`	bool	-	Same as above (used internally by sandbox)
`NETWORK_TIMEOUT`	int	`30`	Network request timeout (seconds)

Usage: Set ALLOW_NETWORK=True when using Skills that require network access (e.g. weather, HTTP requests).

Sandbox & Security

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`ENABLE_SANDBOX`	bool	`true`	Whether to enable sandbox
`SKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL`	int	`3`	Sandbox level (see table below)
`SKILLBOX_ALLOW_PLAYWRIGHT`	bool	`false`	Skip sandbox for Skills using Playwright
`SANDBOX_BUILTIN_TOOLS`	bool	`false`	Run read_file/write_file in subprocess for isolation
`SKILLBOX_AUTO_APPROVE`	bool	`false`	Auto-approve L3 security prompts (not recommended)

Sandbox Level Description:

Level	Description
1	No sandbox, full trust
2	Sandbox + allow .env/git/venv/cache/Playwright (permissive)
3	Scan + confirm, after confirmation same as L2 (default)

Usage:

When sandbox is unavailable: SKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL=1
When Skill is stuck: SKILLBOX_DEBUG=1 to view progress

Resource Limits

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`EXECUTION_TIMEOUT`	int	`120`	Single execution timeout (seconds)
`SKILLBOX_TIMEOUT_SECS`	int	-	Same as above (alias)
`MAX_MEMORY_MB`	int	`512`	Maximum memory (MB)
`SKILLBOX_MAX_MEMORY_MB`	int	-	Same as above (alias)

Usage: For Skills with many dependencies (e.g. xiaohongshu-writer), consider EXECUTION_TIMEOUT=300.

Long Text & Summarization

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`SKILLLITE_CHUNK_SIZE`	int	`6000`	Chunk size (~1.5k tokens/chunk)
`SKILLLITE_HEAD_CHUNKS`	int	`3`	Number of head chunks for head-tail summary
`SKILLLITE_TAIL_CHUNKS`	int	`3`	Number of tail chunks for head-tail summary
`SKILLLITE_MAX_OUTPUT_CHARS`	int	`8000`	Max output length for summary (~2k tokens)
`SKILLLITE_SUMMARIZE_THRESHOLD`	int	`15000`	Use summary when exceeding this length, otherwise truncate
`SKILLLITE_TOOL_RESULT_MAX_CHARS`	int	`8000`	Max characters for single tool result in Agent loop

Usage: Adjust as needed for very long context; usually no modification required.

Planning & Rules

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`SKILLLITE_PLANNING_RULES_PATH`	string	-	Custom path for planning_rules.json

Observability & Audit

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`SKILLLITE_AUDIT_LOG`	string	-	Audit log path (confirm→execute→command)
`SKILLBOX_AUDIT_LOG`	string	-	Same as above (alias)
`SKILLLITE_SECURITY_EVENTS_LOG`	string	-	Security events log (intercepts, scan_high, etc.)
`SKILLBOX_LOG_LEVEL`	string	`info`	Rust log level: trace\|debug\|info\|warn\|error
`SKILLBOX_LOG_JSON`	bool	`false`	Whether to output JSON format logs

Debug & Advanced

Variable	Type	Default	Description
`SKILLBOX_DEBUG`	bool	`false`	Set to `1` to print sandbox debug info
`SKILLBOX_USE_IPC`	bool	auto	Whether to use IPC mode (usually faster)
`SKILLLITE_PATH`	string	-	skilllite binary path
`SKILLBOX_BINARY_PATH`	string	-	Same as above (alias)
`SKILLBOX_CACHE_DIR`	string	-	Sandbox cache directory
`SKILLBOX_IPC_POOL_SIZE`	int	`10`	IPC connection pool size
`MCP_SANDBOX_TIMEOUT`	int	`30`	MCP sandbox timeout (seconds)

Recommended Configurations by Scenario

Quick Start (Minimal Config)

BASE_URL=https://api.deepseek.com/v1
API_KEY=your_key
MODEL=deepseek-chat

Network-enabled Skills (e.g. weather, HTTP)

# Add to minimal config
ALLOW_NETWORK=True

Skills with Many Dependencies (e.g. xiaohongshu-writer)

# Add to common config
EXECUTION_TIMEOUT=300

Sandbox Unavailable / Debugging

SKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL=1
# or
SKILLBOX_DEBUG=1

Production Audit

SKILLLITE_AUDIT_LOG=~/.skilllite/audit/audit.jsonl
SKILLLITE_SECURITY_EVENTS_LOG=~/.skilllite/audit/security.jsonl

---name: skilllite-environment-variables-referencedescription: This document lists all environment variables supported by SkillLite, including default values, type descriptions, and usage scenarios.---# SkillLite Environment Variables ReferenceThis document lists all environment variables supported by SkillLite, including default values, type descriptions, and usage scenarios.- **Quick Start**: Only `BASE_URL`, `API_KEY`, and `MODEL` are required to run- **Full Template**: See [.env.example.full](../../.env.example.full)---## LLM API Configuration| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `BASE_URL` | string | - | **Required**. LLM API endpoint, e.g. `https://api.deepseek.com/v1` || `API_KEY` | string | - | **Required**. LLM API key || `MODEL` | string | `deepseek-chat` | Model name |**Usage**: Required for all LLM calls. Supports any OpenAI-compatible API provider (DeepSeek, Qwen, Ollama, etc.).---## Skills & Output| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `SKILLS_DIR` | string | `./.skills` | Skills directory path, supports relative/absolute paths || `SKILLLITE_SKILLS_DIR` | string | - | Same as above (alias) || `SKILLLITE_OUTPUT_DIR` | string | `{workspace_root}/output` | Output directory for reports, images, etc. || `SKILLBOX_SKILLS_ROOT` | string | Current working directory | Root directory for skill paths in sandbox; skill_dir must be under it |---## Network Configuration| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `ALLOW_NETWORK` | bool | `False` | Whether to allow Skills to access the network || `SKILLBOX_ALLOW_NETWORK` | bool | - | Same as above (used internally by sandbox) || `NETWORK_TIMEOUT` | int | `30` | Network request timeout (seconds) |**Usage**: Set `ALLOW_NETWORK=True` when using Skills that require network access (e.g. weather, HTTP requests).---## Sandbox & Security| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `ENABLE_SANDBOX` | bool | `true` | Whether to enable sandbox || `SKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL` | int | `3` | Sandbox level (see table below) || `SKILLBOX_ALLOW_PLAYWRIGHT` | bool | `false` | Skip sandbox for Skills using Playwright || `SANDBOX_BUILTIN_TOOLS` | bool | `false` | Run read_file/write_file in subprocess for isolation || `SKILLBOX_AUTO_APPROVE` | bool | `false` | Auto-approve L3 security prompts (not recommended) |**Sandbox Level Description**:| Level | Description ||-------|-------------|| 1 | No sandbox, full trust || 2 | Sandbox + allow .env/git/venv/cache/Playwright (permissive) || 3 | Scan + confirm, after confirmation same as L2 (default) |**Usage**:- When sandbox is unavailable: `SKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL=1`- When Skill is stuck: `SKILLBOX_DEBUG=1` to view progress---## Resource Limits| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `EXECUTION_TIMEOUT` | int | `120` | Single execution timeout (seconds) || `SKILLBOX_TIMEOUT_SECS` | int | - | Same as above (alias) || `MAX_MEMORY_MB` | int | `512` | Maximum memory (MB) || `SKILLBOX_MAX_MEMORY_MB` | int | - | Same as above (alias) |**Usage**: For Skills with many dependencies (e.g. xiaohongshu-writer), consider `EXECUTION_TIMEOUT=300`.---## Long Text & Summarization| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `SKILLLITE_CHUNK_SIZE` | int | `6000` | Chunk size (~1.5k tokens/chunk) || `SKILLLITE_HEAD_CHUNKS` | int | `3` | Number of head chunks for head-tail summary || `SKILLLITE_TAIL_CHUNKS` | int | `3` | Number of tail chunks for head-tail summary || `SKILLLITE_MAX_OUTPUT_CHARS` | int | `8000` | Max output length for summary (~2k tokens) || `SKILLLITE_SUMMARIZE_THRESHOLD` | int | `15000` | Use summary when exceeding this length, otherwise truncate || `SKILLLITE_TOOL_RESULT_MAX_CHARS` | int | `8000` | Max characters for single tool result in Agent loop |**Usage**: Adjust as needed for very long context; usually no modification required.---## Planning & Rules| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `SKILLLITE_PLANNING_RULES_PATH` | string | - | Custom path for planning_rules.json |---## Observability & Audit| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `SKILLLITE_AUDIT_LOG` | string | - | Audit log path (confirm→execute→command) || `SKILLBOX_AUDIT_LOG` | string | - | Same as above (alias) || `SKILLLITE_SECURITY_EVENTS_LOG` | string | - | Security events log (intercepts, scan_high, etc.) || `SKILLBOX_LOG_LEVEL` | string | `info` | Rust log level: trace\|debug\|info\|warn\|error || `SKILLBOX_LOG_JSON` | bool | `false` | Whether to output JSON format logs |---## Debug & Advanced| Variable | Type | Default | Description ||----------|------|---------|-------------|| `SKILLBOX_DEBUG` | bool | `false` | Set to `1` to print sandbox debug info || `SKILLBOX_USE_IPC` | bool | auto | Whether to use IPC mode (usually faster) || `SKILLLITE_PATH` | string | - | skilllite binary path || `SKILLBOX_BINARY_PATH` | string | - | Same as above (alias) || `SKILLBOX_CACHE_DIR` | string | - | Sandbox cache directory || `SKILLBOX_IPC_POOL_SIZE` | int | `10` | IPC connection pool size || `MCP_SANDBOX_TIMEOUT` | int | `30` | MCP sandbox timeout (seconds) |---## Recommended Configurations by Scenario### Quick Start (Minimal Config)```bashBASE_URL=https://api.deepseek.com/v1API_KEY=your_keyMODEL=deepseek-chat```### Network-enabled Skills (e.g. weather, HTTP)```bash# Add to minimal configALLOW_NETWORK=True```### Skills with Many Dependencies (e.g. xiaohongshu-writer)```bash# Add to common configEXECUTION_TIMEOUT=300```### Sandbox Unavailable / Debugging```bashSKILLBOX_SANDBOX_LEVEL=1# orSKILLBOX_DEBUG=1```### Production Audit```bashSKILLLITE_AUDIT_LOG=~/.skilllite/audit/audit.jsonlSKILLLITE_SECURITY_EVENTS_LOG=~/.skilllite/audit/security.jsonl```

tools-only/X-Skills/tree/main/development/tools/2894-env_reference_0ec5dde5 commit 0c1e1b99af

Frequently asked questions

npx skillmds@latest add tools-only/skilllite-environment-variables-reference