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Try It Out (Terminal Drawer)

Every bundle has a built-in terminal that lets you test the CLI approval flow without leaving your browser.

What is "Try It Out"?​

Try It Out is an in-browser terminal emulator that:

  • Shows the exact CLI command for your bundle
  • Simulates the approval flow end-to-end
  • Auto-approves (since you're already logged in)
  • Displays the decrypted output
  • Perfect for learning and testing

How to Use It​

Step 1: Open Bundle​

  1. Go to https://env.cat/bundles
  2. Click on a bundle (e.g., dev/api)

Step 2: Launch Terminal​

On the bundle details page, click "Try It Out" button.

A terminal drawer slides up from the bottom with:

$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --api-base https://env.cat

Step 3: Run Command​

Click "Run" or press Enter.

What happens:

  1. Terminal shows approval URL and QR code
  2. Approval modal opens automatically (simulated browser click)
  3. You approve the request (select keys)
  4. Terminal receives ciphertext
  5. Terminal decrypts and displays output

Output:

✓ Approved! Received 3 variable(s)

export DATABASE_URL='postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/db'
export API_KEY='sk_live_abc123xyz'
export PORT='3000'

Step 4: Copy Output​

Click "Copy to Clipboard" to copy the export statements.

Paste into your real terminal:

# Paste and run
export DATABASE_URL='postgres://...'
export API_KEY='sk_live_abc123xyz'
export PORT='3000'

# Or eval directly from real CLI
eval "$(envcat get --bundle dev/api --api-base https://env.cat)"

Use Cases​

Learning the Flow​

Perfect for first-time users:

  • See the approval flow without installing CLI
  • Understand what happens at each step
  • Practice selecting keys
  • Safe environment to experiment

Testing Bundles​

Verify bundle contents before using in production:

1. Create bundle
2. Attach keys
3. Click "Try It Out"
4. Verify all expected keys appear
5. Check values are correct

If something is wrong, edit the bundle and try again.

Demoing to Team​

Show how env.cat works:

  1. Share screen in video call
  2. Open bundle page
  3. Click "Try It Out"
  4. Walk through approval flow
  5. Show decrypted output

No need to install CLI on demo machine.

Quick Access​

Need one secret value quickly?

  1. Open bundle
  2. "Try It Out"
  3. Run command
  4. Copy specific export
  5. Paste in terminal

Faster than:

  • Installing CLI
  • Running actual CLI command
  • Approving on phone

Features​

Pre-filled Commands​

Terminal always shows the correct command for your bundle:

# Automatically includes bundle name and API base
$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --api-base https://env.cat

No need to remember syntax.

Auto-Approval (Optional)​

Default behavior: Terminal opens approval page automatically

Manual approval: Uncheck "Auto-approve" to practice the full flow

With auto-approve disabled:

  1. Terminal shows approval URL
  2. You manually open URL in new tab
  3. Approve the request
  4. Return to terminal tab
  5. See output

Output Formats​

Switch output format via dropdown:

  • Shell (sh) - export KEY='value' (default)
  • Fish - set -x KEY value
  • .env - KEY=value

Terminal updates command automatically:

# Shell format
$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --format sh

# Fish format
$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --format fish

# .env format
$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --format .env

Command Editing​

Edit the command before running:

Add specific keys:

$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --keys DATABASE_URL,API_KEY

Change format:

$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --format fish

Add write flag:

$ envcat get --bundle dev/api --write .env

Click "Run" to execute the modified command.

Copy Button​

Copy output to clipboard:

  • Click "Copy" button next to output
  • Or select text and Ctrl+C / Cmd+C
  • Paste into real terminal

Copy command:

  • Click "Copy Command" to copy CLI command
  • Paste in real terminal to run actual CLI

Limitations​

Not a Real Terminal​

What it can't do:

  • Execute arbitrary commands (only envcat get)
  • Access your local filesystem
  • Run shell scripts
  • Persist environment variables across commands

What it can do:

  • Simulate CLI approval flow
  • Show accurate output
  • Test bundle contents
  • Demonstrate how env.cat works

Auto-Approval Behavior​

In "Try It Out":

  • You're already authenticated (logged in)
  • Approval happens in same browser session
  • Can auto-click approval button

In Real CLI:

  • CLI on laptop, browser on phone (different devices)
  • Must manually scan QR code or click URL
  • Cannot auto-approve (human verification required)

Values Visible in Browser​

Security note:

Terminal shows decrypted values in browser DOM. This is safe for demo/testing, but:

  • Don't use on shared computers
  • Don't screenshot and share
  • Close drawer when done

For production secrets, use real CLI where values are decrypted in your local terminal (not browser).

Tips & Tricks​

Test Key Changes​

After updating a key value:

  1. Go to bundle using that key
  2. "Try It Out"
  3. Verify new value appears

No need to run real CLI.

Compare Formats​

Switch between formats to see output differences:

Shell:

export DATABASE_URL='postgres://...'

Fish:

set -x DATABASE_URL postgres://...

.env:

DATABASE_URL=postgres://...

Verify Quoting​

Check how env.cat handles special characters:

export PASSWORD='p@$$w0rd!#'
export MULTILINE='line1
line2'
export QUOTES='He said "hi"'

Share Screenshots​

"Try It Out" is safe to share in docs/tutorials:

  • Values are your test data (not production)
  • Shows exact workflow
  • No real CLI needed

Troubleshooting​

Terminal Not Opening​

Issue: Click "Try It Out" but nothing happens

Solution:

  • Check browser console for errors
  • Disable ad blockers (may block drawer)
  • Try different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
  • Report bug on GitHub

Command Fails​

Issue: Terminal shows "Error: bundle not found"

Solution:

  • Refresh page (bundle may have been deleted)
  • Check bundle name is correct
  • Verify you're logged in

Output Truncated​

Issue: Terminal cuts off long values

Solution:

  • Scroll horizontally in terminal
  • Click "Copy" to get full output
  • Use real CLI for large bundles (100+ keys)

Can't Copy Output​

Issue: Copy button doesn't work

Solution:

  • Select text manually and Ctrl+C / Cmd+C
  • Check clipboard permissions in browser
  • Try incognito/private mode

Next Steps​

After trying it out in the browser:

  1. Install CLI - Set up real CLI on your machine
  2. CLI Reference - Learn all CLI commands
  3. Approval Flow - Understand the full flow
  4. Keys Guide - Add more secrets to your library

Real CLI vs Try It Out​

FeatureTry It OutReal CLI
Install required❌ No✅ Yes
ApprovalAuto (same browser)Manual (scan QR)
OutputBrowser terminalYour terminal
EnvironmentSimulatedReal shell
SecurityDemo/testProduction-ready
PersistenceNo (drawer closes)Yes (vars in shell)
Best forLearning, testingDaily workflow

Use "Try It Out" for:

  • Learning how env.cat works
  • Testing bundles after creation
  • Demoing to team
  • Quick secret lookups

Use Real CLI for:

  • Daily development workflow
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • Production deployments
  • Maximum security

Need Help?​