Variables

Named placeholders

A variable is a name you reuse in steps. Typical ones: {BASE_URL}, {USERNAME}, {PASSWORD} — plus whatever your product actually needs (an org id, a locale, a feature flag).

Use variables for anything that should change when you switch environments, or anything you do not want baked into a recorded step.

Masked at capture

Sensitive field masking is on by default. Passwords, cards, and OTPs are stored as {VAR} placeholders rather than the characters you typed. You set the real values in the extension before replay.

That is a local convenience, not a vault. Anyone with this Chrome profile can open the extension and see the values you stored. Treat the profile like you would a password manager on this machine.

Where values live

Variables are stored with your flows in IndexedDB on this device. They are not synced, not backed up to us, and not sent to an AI service. Uninstalling the extension clears them.

With environments

The same flow can run against staging and prod (or two test users) because the steps say {BASE_URL}, not a literal host. You pick the environment at play time; that choice supplies the values. Details in the environments guide.

Exporting

Export is explicit — JSON, YAML, or Playwright TypeScript. If a file includes credentials you stored as variable values, treat that file as sensitive. QA Studio Pro does not upload it; you decide where it goes. See export.