> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.beam.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Storing Secrets

> How to store secrets and environment variables in Beam

### Storing Secrets and Environment Variables

Secrets and environment variables can be injected into the containers that run your apps.

You can manage secrets through the CLI:

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret create AWS_ACCESS_KEY ASIAY34FZKBOKMUTVV7A

=> Created secret with name: 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY'
```

### Using Secrets

Once created, you can access a secret like an environment variable:

```python theme={null}
from beam import function


@function(secrets=["AWS_ACCESS_KEY"])
def handler():
    import os

    my_secret = os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY"]
    print(f"Secret: {my_secret}")
```

### Passing Secrets to `on_start`

If your app used an `on_start` function, secrets can be passed to that function as well.

```python theme={null}
from beam import endpoint


# This has access to secrets passed down in the handler
def load_models():
    import os

    my_secret = os.environ["AWS_ACCESS_KEY"]
    print("The function can read secrets:", my_secret)


@endpoint(
    secrets=["AWS_ACCESS_KEY"],
    on_start=load_models,
)
def handler(context):
    return {}
```

## CLI Commands

### List Secrets

```bash theme={null}
beam secret list
```

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret list

  Name             Last Updated     Created
 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
  AWS_KEY          19 hours ago     19 hours ago
  AWS_ACCESS_KEY   20 seconds ago   20 seconds ago
  AWS_REGION       7 seconds ago    7 seconds ago

  3 items
```

### Create a Secret

```bash theme={null}
beam secret create [KEY] [VALUE]
```

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret create AWS_ACCESS_KEY ASIAY34FZKBOKMUTVV7A

=> Created secret with name: 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY'
```

<Warning>
  If your secret contains special characters, you may need to escape them with a
  backslash. For example, `a$b` would need to be `a\$b`.
</Warning>

### Show a Secret

```bash theme={null}
beam secret create show [KEY]
```

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret show AWS_ACCESS_KEY

=> Secret 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY': ASIAY34FZKBOKMUTVV7A
```

### Modify a Secret

```bash theme={null}
beam secret modify [KEY] [VALUE]
```

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret modify AWS_ACCESS_KEY ASIAY34FZKBOKMUTVV7A

=> Modified secret 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY'
```

### Delete a Secret

```bash theme={null}
beam secret delete [KEY]
```

```bash theme={null}
$ beam secret delete AWS_ACCESS_KEY

=> Deleted secret 'AWS_ACCESS_KEY'
```