> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://uiform-codex-generated-frontend-snippets.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Environments

> Stripe-style test and production namespaces inside one Retab organization

Retab environments are logical namespaces inside your organization that
isolate data, runs, webhooks, secrets, and analytics. Every organization has
two built-in environments:

| Slug         | Intended use                                               |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| `test`       | Local development, customer staging, CI, integration tests |
| `production` | Customer production systems                                |

Workflows, files, runs, jobs, webhooks, signing secrets, integration
credentials, and usage records live inside exactly one environment.
A test API key cannot read or mutate production resources, and a live API
key cannot read or mutate test resources.

## The API key selects the environment

The API key — not a header, not a base URL, not a flag — decides which
environment a request runs in.

| Prefix      | Environment  | Notes                                            |
| ----------- | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `rt_test_`  | `test`       | Issued from the dashboard under **Test keys**.   |
| `rt_live_`  | `production` | Issued from the dashboard under **Live keys**.   |
| `sk_retab_` | `production` | Legacy keys, still valid; resolve to production. |

The key prefix is a visible hint. The server's stored environment id on the
key document is the authorization source of truth — a request authenticated
with an `rt_test_...` key cannot reach production resources even if it
guesses a production id.

```bash theme={null}
# Local development and CI
export RETAB_API_KEY=rt_test_...

# Production deploys
export RETAB_API_KEY=rt_live_...
```

```python Python theme={null}
from retab import Retab

client = Retab()                       # reads RETAB_API_KEY
print("Run `retab auth status` to inspect the resolved environment.")
```

## `RETAB_BASE_URL` is not the environment selector

`RETAB_BASE_URL` selects the Retab **deployment** (production API, a local
dev server, a private region). It does not select your customer
environment. Do not point `RETAB_BASE_URL` at a different host to switch
between test and production — set `RETAB_API_KEY` instead.

```bash theme={null}
# Wrong: this only changes the Retab deployment URL.
export RETAB_BASE_URL=https://api.retab.com

# Right: this switches your environment.
export RETAB_API_KEY=rt_live_...
```

## What is isolated per environment

| Resource                                 | Isolated per environment |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------ |
| API keys                                 | Yes                      |
| Workflows, blocks, edges, snapshots      | Yes                      |
| Workflow runs, steps, artifacts          | Yes                      |
| Workflow tests and experiments           | Yes                      |
| Files and file-derived artifacts         | Yes                      |
| Jobs                                     | Yes                      |
| Webhook endpoints and signing secrets    | Yes                      |
| Webhook delivery attempts and retries    | Yes                      |
| Workflow secrets / integration creds     | Yes                      |
| Usage records and analytics              | Yes                      |
| Organization membership and user profile | No (organization-global) |
| Billing subscription                     | No (organization-global) |

Cross-environment access returns `404 Not Found` — resource existence is
never leaked across environments.

## Where to go next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="API keys" icon="key" href="/environments/api-keys">
    Create test and live keys in the dashboard and use them from the SDKs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="CLI" icon="terminal" href="/environments/cli">
    Manage local environment profiles, switch defaults, and run safe
    production commands.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Webhooks and secrets" icon="webhook" href="/environments/webhooks-and-secrets">
    Environment-scoped webhook signing secrets and integration credentials.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Promotion" icon="rocket" href="/environments/promotion">
    Promote a workflow from test to production as a draft for review.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>