# atmos secret exec

Resolve the declared secrets for a stack and component and run a command 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). Use `--` to separate Atmos flags from the command and its arguments.

## Usage

```shell
atmos secret exec [flags] -- <command> [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, and the command still runs.

Without `--component`, only the stack's stack-scoped and global secrets are injected; instance-scoped secrets are never included. Their declarations must agree across components, otherwise `--component` is required. See [Secret scopes](/cli/commands/secret/usage#secret-scopes).

## Examples

```shell
# Run a command with the component's secrets in the environment
atmos secret exec --stack=dev --component=app -- env

# Only the stack-scoped and global secrets, no component
atmos secret exec --stack=dev -- env

# Run a deployment script that reads secrets from the environment
atmos secret exec --stack=prod --component=api -- ./deploy.sh

# Use a specific identity to access the secret backend
atmos secret exec --stack=prod --component=api --identity=aws/prod-secrets -- ./task.sh
```

## Arguments

- **`<command> [args...]`** — The command (and its arguments) to run, specified after the `--` separator. **Required.** The command's exit code is propagated as the exit code of `atmos secret exec`.

## 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. Omit it to inject only the stack's stack-scoped and global secrets (see [Secret scopes](/cli/commands/secret/usage#secret-scopes)); **required** for instance-scoped secrets.

  **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`

:::warning Secrets are not masked in the child process
Secret values are written into the child process's environment in cleartext and are **not** masked in the command's output. Only use `secret exec` with commands you trust.
:::

## See Also

- [atmos secret shell](/cli/commands/secret/shell) — Launch an interactive shell 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