title: Environment Types
summary: Configure your SilverStripe environment to define how your web application behaves.

# Environment Types

SilverStripe knows three different environment types (or "modes"). Each of the modes gives you different tools
and behaviors. The environment is managed either through a [YML configuration file](../configuration) or in a 
[environment configuration file](../../getting_started/environment_management).

The definition of setting an environment type in a `mysite/_config/app.yml` looks like

	:::yml
	Director:
	  environment_type: 'dev'

The definition of setting an environment type in a `_ss_environment.php` file looks like

	:::php
	define('SS_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE', 'dev');

The three environment types you can set are `dev`, `test` and `live`.

### Dev

When developing your websites, adding page types or installing modules you should run your site in `dev`. In this mode
you will see full error back traces and view the development tools without having to be logged in as an administrator 
user.

<div class="alert" markdown="1">
**dev mode should not be enabled long term on live sites for security reasons**. In dev mode by outputting back traces 
of function calls a hacker can gain information about your environment (including passwords) so you should use dev mode 
on a public server very carefully.
</div>

### Test Mode

Test mode is designed for staging environments or other private collaboration sites before deploying a site live.

In this mode error messages are hidden from the user and SilverStripe includes `[api:BasicAuth]` integration if you 
want to password protect the site. You can enable that but adding this to your `mysite/_config/app.yml` file:

	:::yml
	---
	Only:
	  environment: 'test'
	---
	BasicAuth:
	  entire_site_protected: true

### Live Mode

All error messages are suppressed from the user and the application is in it's most *secure* state.

<div class="alert">
Live sites should always run in live mode. You should not run production websites in dev mode.
</div>


## Checking Environment Type

You can check for the current environment type in [config files](../configuration) through the `environment` variant.

**mysite/_config/app.yml**
	---
	Only:
	  environment: 'live'
	---
	MyClass:
		myvar: live_value
	---
	Only:
	  environment: 'test'
	---
	MyClass:
		myvar: test_value

Checking for what environment you're running in can also be done in PHP. Your application code may disable or enable 
certain functionality depending on the environment type. 

	:::php
	if(Director::isLive()) {
		// is in live
	} else if(Director::isTest()) {
		// is in test mode
	} else if(Director::isDev()) {
		// is in dev mode
	}