Environment variables

The Python and Node packages read the same variables in the same way, so one setting serves both. The browser itself reads none of them.

Packages and command line

Variable	Default	Effect
`APOSTATE_BINARY`	unset	Run this browser and skip the search and the download. The value is the executable, a macOS `.app` bundle, or the directory the release archive unpacks to. A path that holds no browser fails the launch. The `binary_path` and `executablePath` options take precedence over it.
`APOSTATE_CACHE_DIR`	per-OS cache	Where the browser is installed and the Widevine CDM is kept. The `cache_dir` and `cacheDir` options and the CLI’s `--cache-dir` take precedence over it.
`APOSTATE_DOWNLOAD_BASE_URL`	unset	Download the release archive from this base URL instead of GitHub. The archive’s file name is appended to it. The SHA-256 still comes from the manifest inside the package, or from the manifest on the GitHub release, so a mirror that serves other bytes fails verification. The manifest is never fetched from the mirror.
`APOSTATE_KEEP_ARCHIVE`	unset	`1`, `true`, `yes` or `on` keeps the verified archive beside the install, for `gh attestation verify`. The CLI’s `install --keep-archive` does the same.

The default cache directory is:

Host	Directory
Linux	`$XDG_CACHE_HOME/apostate`, or `~/.cache/apostate`
macOS	`~/Library/Caches/apostate`
Windows	`%LOCALAPPDATA%\apostate\cache`

Installation covers the cache layout, mirrors and verification.

Proxy

Variable	Read by	Effect
`APOSTATE_PROXY`	the MCP server `apostate-mcp`, the live tier of the test suite in `tests/`, `scripts/measure-fpjs.py`, and the proxy examples in `examples/`	A proxy URL, such as `socks5://user:pass@proxy.example:1080`. The Python and Node packages do not read it. Pass `proxy` to a launch function.

MCP server lists the server’s options. apostate-mcp and the test suite also read APOSTATE_BINARY. Run the tests covers the test suite.

Variables the packages set

A launch that composes a persona sets these in the browser’s environment, not in yours:

Variable	Value
`LANGUAGE`	The persona’s locale tag, such as `de-DE`.
`LC_ALL`, `LC_MESSAGES`, `LANG`	The same locale in POSIX form, such as `de_DE.UTF-8`.
`TZ`	The launch’s timezone, when it has one.
`DISPLAY`	The Xvfb display the package started, on a Linux host with no display and `headless` off.

Host mode leaves your locale variables alone. The env option of a launch overrides any of them. Locale and timezone explains why the locale variables are set.

Building

The build scripts in scripts/ read these. Build explains the build.

Variable	Default	Effect
`APOSTATE_TARGET`	this host’s target	The target a script builds for when it is given none: `linux-x64`, `linux-arm64`, `macos-arm64` or `windows-x64`. Read by `fetch-sources.sh`, `run-chromium-hooks.sh`, `prepare-linux-sysroot.sh`, `verify-host-tooling.sh`, `checkseries.sh`, `bootstrap.sh` and `in-linux-build-container.sh`. `configure.sh` and `build.sh` take the target as their first argument instead.
`APOSTATE_WORKSPACE`	`.workspace` in the repository	Where the Chromium checkout, `depot_tools` and the build output go.
`APOSTATE_JOBS`	75% of the host’s cores in `build.sh`	Parallel jobs for `build.sh` and `checkseries.sh`.
`APOSTATE_FRESH_BUILD`	unset	`1` deletes `out/<target>` before `configure.sh` and `build.sh`, so the build starts from nothing.
`APOSTATE_DATA_ROOT`	the repository	Where build actions read Apostate’s tables from, when the workspace is outside the repository.
`APOSTATE_SIGNED_ROOT`	`$APOSTATE_WORKSPACE/signed`	Where `sign-macos.sh` writes the signed macOS bundle and `package-artifact.sh` picks it up.
`APOSTATE_NOTARY_TIMEOUT`	`30m`	How long `sign-macos.sh` waits for Apple’s notary service.
`APOSTATE_SDK_INSTALL_TIMEOUT`	`10m`	How long `provision-windows-toolchain.sh` lets the Windows SDK installer run.

The scripts set APOSTATE_BUILD_IMAGE_ID inside the Linux build container, and build/linux/ sets APOSTATE_SNAPSHOT_PROXY and APOSTATE_SNAPSHOT_BASE for itself. Do not set them.

Tests and release checks

Variable	Effect
`APOSTATE_REQUIRE_NATIVE_GOLDENS`	Set, `scripts/test_profile_resolver.py` fails instead of skipping when a golden profile digest from a native build is missing.
`APOSTATE_SMOKE_APPLELANGS`	`1` runs the macOS user-default locale check in `scripts/checks/release-smoke.mjs`.
`APOSTATE_GEOIP_ENDPOINT`	Names an external GeoIP detector endpoint for `scripts/release-candidate-check.py`. The check still does not probe it, because the release check runs without network access.

Reference

Contributing

Environment variables

Packages and command line

Proxy

Variables the packages set

Building

Tests and release checks

​Packages and command line

​Proxy

​Variables the packages set

​Building

​Tests and release checks

Packages and command line

Proxy

Variables the packages set

Building

Tests and release checks