> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://robodex.gitbook.io/robodex-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://robodex.gitbook.io/robodex-docs/operations/environment.md).

# Environment

## Product API

| Variable                  | Purpose                                       |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `WORKSPACE_DB_PATH`       | Override local SQLite workspace database path |
| `SKIP_YOUTUBE_SEARCH`     | Skip YouTube search in ingest when set to `1` |
| `EVOLUTION_ARTIFACTS_DIR` | Override local evolution artifact directory   |
| `NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL`     | Frontend base URL for the API                 |

Default workspace database:

```
/tmp/il_ideation/workspace.sqlite3
```

## Research LLM provider

| Variable                             | Purpose                                                          |
| ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `RESEARCH_LLM_PROVIDER`              | Select local or remote model provider                            |
| `RESEARCH_USE_LANGGRAPH_AUTO_INVOKE` | Enable automatic LangGraph invocation for supported legacy paths |

Common provider values:

```bash
export RESEARCH_LLM_PROVIDER=codex
export RESEARCH_LLM_PROVIDER=claude-code
export RESEARCH_LLM_PROVIDER=openai
```

Use `packages/research/local_chat_models.py` factory helpers instead of direct provider imports.

## External services

The repo contains integrations or hooks for:

* Supabase,
* LangSmith,
* Google/Gemini,
* YouTube/reference search,
* GVHMR dispatch,
* Modal trial dispatch,
* MuJoCo screening,
* GitBook docs publishing.

Not all of these are required for local smoke tests. When documenting evidence, state which external services were actually reachable.

## Local-first development

Many core paths work without external services:

* deterministic grammar fallback,
* local workspace database,
* route unit tests,
* frontend contract tests,
* documentation validation,
* research core tests.

This is intentional. A missing networked service should not make every developer flow unusable.


---

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