Variables

Variables are reusable values available in test scenarios. They allow you to centralize configurations such as URLs, test credentials, flags, and shared data.

QANode has two main scopes:

• Global — available to any scenario.
• Project — available to scenarios linked to a specific project.

Managing Variables

1. In the sidebar, click Variables
2. The list displays registered global variables

Image: Variables screen showing a list with name, type, value, and last updated

Global and Project Variables

Global Variables

Global variables should be used for values shared across multiple projects, such as:

• common base URL;
• execution flags;
• reusable test data;
• general settings.

They are created from the sidebar Variables menu.

Project Variables

Project variables live inside the Variables tab on the project page. Use this scope when the value belongs to a specific project, such as:

• that system's staging URL;
• a test user for that project;
• identifiers or test data owned by that team;
• settings that should not appear in the global list.

When a scenario belongs to a project, project variables are available with the same syntax as global variables:

{{ variables.VARIABLE_NAME }}

If a global variable and a project variable have the same name, avoid relying on that overlap. Prefer clear names for each scope.

Creating a Variable

1. For a global variable, open Variables from the sidebar. For a project variable, open the project and go to the Variables tab
2. Click + New Variable
3. Fill in:

4. Click Save

Variable Types

Secret Variables

Variables marked as secret are encrypted in the database. They are ideal for:

• Test passwords
• API tokens
• Access keys

Characteristics:

• The value is masked in the interface (displayed as ••••••)
• The value is encrypted in the database
• The actual value is accessible during flow executions

Note: For connection credentials (database, SSH, API), prefer using Credentials instead of secret variables.

Using Variables in Flows

Access variables using the expression syntax:

{{ variables.VARIABLE_NAME }}

In the flow editor, the Variables button in the properties panel opens an organized list where you can drag or click values.

Variables are separated by scope:

This separation avoids mixing global, project, and flow data when many variables are registered.

Previous Node Outputs

Each executed node appears as a group with:

• node name;
• node type;
• execution status;
• number of available fields.

Objects and arrays start collapsed to keep the list readable. When a field is expanded, its children appear below with a short visual name. For example, inside fileRef, children appear as name, mimeType, and sizeBytes, but the copied expression remains complete.

Files in the Variables Panel

When an output is a file (fileRef), the panel shows the file as a draggable item. When expanded, the main details are available:

Internal fields such as source and path do not appear in the main list to avoid confusing common usage, but they remain accessible by expression when needed.

If an input field does not accept files, or does not accept that file type, the panel marks the field in red and shows an unsupported file message.

Usage Examples

API URL:

URL: {{ variables.API_URL }}/api/users

Timeout:

Timeout: {{ variables.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT }}

Test credentials:

Email: {{ variables.TEST_EMAIL }}
Password: {{ variables.TEST_PASSWORD }}

JSON configuration:

Retries: {{ variables.CONFIG.retries }}
Timeout: {{ variables.CONFIG.timeout }}

Runtime Override

The Set Variable node can override variables during execution:

[Set Variable: API_URL = https://staging.exemplo.com]
    │
    ▼
[HTTP Request: GET {{ variables.API_URL }}/api/health]

The override is temporary — it only affects the current execution. The original value in the database is not changed.

Pipeline Override — Enterprise

In QANode Enterprise CI/CD integration, a variable can also be overridden directly by the CLI or API for a specific execution.

Example:

npx @qanode/cli run suite \
  --suite-id SUITE_ID \
  --var BASE_URL=https://preview.app \
  --wait

This override:

• applies only to the current execution
• does not change the persisted variable value
• is useful for temporary build, staging, and preview environments

For details, see Per-execution Overrides.

Best Practices

Naming

Use UPPER_SNAKE_CASE for global and project variables:

Environment Organization

Create variables with an environment prefix to make switching easier:

PROD_API_URL = https://api.exemplo.com
STAGING_API_URL = https://staging.exemplo.com
DEV_API_URL = http://localhost:3000

When to Use Variables vs. Credentials

Tips

• Centralize URLs in variables to make environment switching easier
• Use secret variables for sensitive data
• Prefer credentials for structured connection data
• Use global variables for values shared across the whole instance
• Use project variables for project-specific data
• The JSON type is useful for grouping related configurations