CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR

Updated October 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR is a Claude Code environment variable. Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283 and still present in v2.1.295. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.295
Added	Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283
Category	Other
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR": "<value>"
  }
}

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_PROJECT_DIR_NAME
CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR: Override project directory.
CLAUDE_CODE_TEST_FIXTURES_ROOT: Root directory for test fixtures.
CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR: Custom config directory.
CLAUDE_JOB_DIR: Working directory for a background job, independent of the daemon's own cwd.
CLAUDE_CODE_DIR_SYNC_ARCHIVE
CLAUDE_CODE_DIR_SYNC_ENGINE
CLAUDE_CODE_DIR_SYNC_FFWD

Frequently asked questions

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR?

Added between v2.1.269 and v2.1.283 and still present in v2.1.295.

How do I set CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_TEST_PROJECT_DIR=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.