Configure environment for test suites

Learn how to configure environments for your test suites to use different domain URLs and environment-specific values with same tests.

BrowserStack Low Code Automation allows you to create multiple environments such as Development, Staging, and Production without duplicating suites. Specify the domain URL of the environment where you want to run the test suite. During execution, the domain URL for all tests within the test suite is overridden based on the selected environment configuration.

Environments also allow you to manage different sets of global variables and secrets. You can define global variables and secrets once and assign different values per environment.

At execution time, selecting an environment automatically applies the corresponding host URL, variable and secret values without requiring test duplication or manual updates. This lets you use the same variables across multiple test suites, reduces test maintenance, and ensures consistency.

Workflow

The following workflow illustrates how to configure and use environments in your test suites:

1. Create a new environment (from the Global Variables, Secrets section, or a Test Suite).
2. Set the host URL and update the existing global variables and secrets for the environment as needed.
3. Create or edit a test suite and select the configured environment.
4. Run the test suite. It uses the selected environment’s variable and secret values.
5. During execution, the host URL for all tests within the test suite is overridden.

Create an environment

You can create a new environment using any of the following methods:

• From the Global variables or the Secrets section
• While creating a test suite

Create an environment and override global variables and secrets

You can create a new environment to manage variables and secrets. When you create an environment, the default values for global variables and secrets are copied to it. You can override these values for each environment as needed.

To create an environment and override the values

1. In Data Configuration, click Global variables or Secrets.
2. Click + Environment. The Create environment dialog opens.
3. In the Environment name field, enter a name for your environment (for example, staging).
4. (Optional) Click + Add description to add a description for the environment.
5. (Optional) In the Host URL field, enter the host URL for your environment (for example, example.com). The entered value is saved as the HOST_URL global variable.
6. Click Create environment.
7. To override a specific value, click the three dots icon next to the variable or secret and select Edit variable or Edit secret. Update the value as needed:
   • Name of the variable or secret: For example, Username or API_KEY.
   • Value: For example, John123Smith or your API key. This step applies to both variables and secrets, depending on which section you are editing.
8. Click Save.

When you use this environment, the overridden values are automatically applied during execution.

Create an environment from test suite

To create an environment:

1. Navigate to Test Suites and click Create test suite.
2. Add tests to your test suite and configure the test suite details.
3. In Step 2: Additional configurations, under Configure environment, click the Select environment drop-down and click Create environment. The Create environment dialog opens.
4. In the Environment name field, enter a name for your environment (for example, Staging).
5. (Optional) Click + Add description to add a description for the environment.
6. (Optional) In the Host URL field, enter the host URL for your environment (for example, example.com). The value is either saved as the global variable host URL, or as the host URL value for the environment you are creating.
7. Click Create environment. The new environment is created and automatically selected for your test suite.
8. Click Save test suite to save your test suite with the configured environment.
9. Alternatively, you can open an existing test suite and create a new environment by following the same steps.
10. To select an existing environment for your test suite:
    • In the Select environment dialog, choose the desired environment (for example, Production, Staging, or UAT).
    • The selected environment is now applied to your test suite.

When you use this environment, the overridden values are automatically applied during execution.

Edit or delete environments

You can edit or delete an environment from the Global variables or Secrets section:

1. Select the environment tab you want to modify.
2. Click the three dots icon.
   • To edit, click Edit environment. In the Edit environment dialog, update the environment name as needed and click Update.
     
   • To delete, select Delete environment. In the confirmation dialog, click Delete.
     

Add host domain name to run tests

Configure environment allows you to run tests across multiple environments with ease. This is achieved by specifying the base URL of the environment where you want to run the test suite. During execution, the base URL for all tests within the test suite is overridden based on the selected environment configuration.

Refer to the following table to understand how the domain name gets overridden in different cases.