packer-cn/website/source/docs/other/environmental-variables.html.markdown

---
layout: "docs"
page_title: "Environmental Variables for Packer"
description: |-
  Packer uses a variety of environmental variables.
---

# Environmental Variables for Packer

Packer uses a variety of environmental variables. A listing and description of each can be found below:

* `PACKER_CACHE_DIR` - The location of the packer cache.

* `PACKER_CONFIG` - The location of the core configuration file. The format
     of the configuration file is basic JSON.
     See the [core configuration page](/docs/other/core-configuration.html).

* `PACKER_LOG` - Setting this to any value will enable the logger.
     See the [debugging page](/docs/other/debugging.html).

* `PACKER_LOG_PATH` - The location of the log file. Note: `PACKER_LOG` must
     be set for any logging to occur. See the [debugging page](/docs/other/debugging.html).

* `PACKER_NO_COLOR` - Setting this to any value will disable color in the terminal.

* `PACKER_PLUGIN_MAX_PORT` - The maximum port that Packer uses for
     communication with plugins, since plugin communication happens over
     TCP connections on your local host. The default is 25,000.
     See the [core configuration page](/docs/other/core-configuration.html).

* `PACKER_PLUGIN_MIN_PORT` - The minimum port that Packer uses for
     communication with plugins, since plugin communication happens
     over TCP connections on your local host. The default is 10,000.
     See the [core configuration page](/docs/other/core-configuration.html).