[DOCS] Environment variables don't persist between bash commands - documentation inconsistency

Environment

• Platform: Anthropic API
• Claude CLI version: Latest
• Operating System: Windows + VS Code SSH + Docker Desktop Ubuntu container
• Terminal: bash

Documentation Issue

The bash tool documentation at https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/tool-use/bash-tool#example-usage states:

How it works The bash tool maintains a persistent session: 1. Claude determines what command to run 2. You execute the command in a bash shell 3. Return the output (stdout and stderr) to Claude 4. Session state persists between commands (environment variables, working directory)

However, testing shows that environment variables do NOT persist between bash tool calls.

Verification Tests

Test 1: Basic environment variable

# Command 1
export TEST_VAR="test_value"
echo "Variable set: $TEST_VAR"
# Output: Variable set: test_value

# Command 2  
echo "Variable in next command: '$TEST_VAR'"
# Output: Variable in next command: '' (empty)

Test 2: PYTHONPATH (real-world scenario)

# Command 1
export PYTHONPATH=. && python -c "import sys; print('Current dir in sys.path:', '.' in sys.path)"
# Output: Current dir in sys.path: True

# Command 2
python -c "import sys; print('Current dir in sys.path:', '.' in sys.path)"
# Output: Current dir in sys.path: False

Test 3: Working directory DOES persist (as documented)

# Command 1
mkdir testdir && cd testdir

# Command 2
pwd
# Output: /path/to/testdir ✅ (correctly persists)

Expected vs Actual Behavior

• Expected (per documentation): Environment variables persist between commands
• Actual: Environment variables are reset between commands, only working directory persists

Impact on Development Workflow

This inconsistency affects common development patterns:

• Python projects requiring PYTHONPATH setup
• Build tools needing custom environment variables
• Development workflows expecting persistent environment state
• Users need workarounds like export VAR=value && command for each bash call

Request for Clarification

Could you please clarify:

1. Is the current behavior intended? (environment variables don't persist)
2. If so, can the documentation be updated to reflect actual behavior?
3. If this is a bug, are there plans to implement environment variable persistence?

Suggested Documentation Fix

Current text:

Session state persists between commands (environment variables, working directory)

Suggested revision:

Session state persists between commands (working directory). Environment variables need to be re-exported in each command or set permanently in shell configuration files.

Thank you for clarifying this behavior\!"