> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.intelligence-management-platform.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ExuluVariables

> Read platform variables at runtime — automatically decrypts AES-encrypted values using NEXTAUTH_SECRET.

`ExuluVariables` provides a single `get` method that reads a named variable from the IMP `variables` table. If the variable was stored as encrypted (AES-256 via the platform's variable editor), `get` decrypts it transparently using `NEXTAUTH_SECRET` before returning the plaintext value.

Use `ExuluVariables` inside tools, processors, or any server-side code where you need access to admin-managed secrets (API keys, connection strings, toggle values) without hard-coding them.

<Warning>
  `get` throws when the variable name does not exist in the database. Catch the error in callers that handle optional variables.
</Warning>

## API surface

### ExuluVariables.get

```typescript theme={null}
ExuluVariables.get(name: string): Promise<string>
```

Looks up the variable by `name` in the `variables` table, decrypts it if the `encrypted` flag is set, and returns the plaintext value as a string.

<ParamField path="name" type="string" required>
  The variable name as it appears in Administration → Variables.
</ParamField>

<ResponseField name="return" type="Promise<string>">
  The plaintext variable value. Throws with `Variable <name> not found.` when the name does not exist.
</ResponseField>

## Example

```typescript theme={null}
import { ExuluVariables } from "@exulu/backend";

const apiKey = await ExuluVariables.get("OPENAI_API_KEY");

// Use the value to call an external API
const response = await fetch("https://api.openai.com/v1/models", {
  headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}` },
});
```

Inside a tool's `execute`:

```typescript theme={null}
import { ExuluTool, ExuluVariables } from "@exulu/backend";
import { z } from "zod";

const myTool = new ExuluTool({
  id: "my_tool",
  name: "My tool",
  description: "Calls an external service.",
  inputSchema: z.object({ query: z.string() }),
  execute: async function* ({ query }) {
    const secret = await ExuluVariables.get("MY_SERVICE_SECRET");
    // ... use secret
    yield { result: "done" };
  },
});
```

## Notes

* Encryption uses `CryptoJS.AES` with `NEXTAUTH_SECRET` as the key phrase. Both the platform and `get` must share the same secret.
* Unencrypted variables are returned as-is from the database.
* `ExuluVariables` is a thin convenience wrapper — you can also query the `variables` table directly via `postgresClient` when you need the full row.

## Related

* [Administration / Variables](/administration/variables): create and manage platform variables.
* [`postgresClient`](/developers/reference/functions-and-types): direct database access.