# atmos secret shell

Resolve the declared secrets for a stack and component and launch an interactive shell with them set as environment variables. Each environment variable is named after the secret's declaration name, verbatim — the same naming used by [`atmos secret pull`](/cli/commands/secret/pull). This is the interactive counterpart of [`atmos secret exec`](/cli/commands/secret/exec).

## Usage

```shell
atmos secret shell [flags] [-- [shell args...]]
```

The resolved secrets are layered on top of the current environment (the OS environment plus any global `env` from `atmos.yaml`). A declared secret takes precedence over an inherited variable of the same name. Secrets that are not yet initialized in their backend are skipped with a warning. Type `exit` to leave the shell and return to your normal session.

## Examples

```shell
# Open a shell with the component's secrets in the environment
atmos secret shell --stack=dev --component=app

# Choose the shell binary
atmos secret shell --stack=dev --component=app --shell=bash

# Pass arguments through to the shell after `--`
atmos secret shell --stack=dev --component=app -- -c 'echo ready'
```

## Arguments

- **`[-- [shell args...]]`**
  Optional arguments passed through to the shell, specified after the 
  `--`
   separator. Positional arguments before 
  `--`
   are rejected — use 
  `--shell`
   to choose the shell binary.

## Flags

- **`--stack` (alias `-s`)**

  The Atmos stack to operate on. **Required.**

  **Environment variable:** `ATMOS_STACK`
- **`--component` (alias `-c`)**

  The Atmos component whose declared secrets are injected. **Required.**

  **Environment variable:** `ATMOS_COMPONENT`
- **`--type`**

  The component type (`terraform`, `helmfile`, `packer`, or `ansible`). Used to disambiguate when a component name exists in more than one type.
- **`--identity` (alias `-i`)**

  The identity to use when accessing the secret backend.

  **Environment variable:** `ATMOS_IDENTITY`
- **`--shell`**

  The shell to launch. Defaults to `$SHELL`, then `bash`, then `sh`.

  **Environment variable:** `ATMOS_SHELL`

:::warning Secrets are not masked in the shell
Secret values are present in the shell's environment in cleartext and are **not** masked in the shell's output. Treat the session accordingly.
:::

## See Also

- [atmos secret exec](/cli/commands/secret/exec) — Run a single command with secrets in the environment
- [atmos secret pull](/cli/commands/secret/pull) — Download declared secrets to a local file
- [atmos secret](/cli/commands/secret/usage) — Overview of the secret command group
- [`!secret` YAML function](/functions/yaml/secret) — Resolve declared secrets at runtime