I read here that the purpose of export in a shell is to make the variable available to sub-processes started from the shell.

However, I have also read here and here that "Processes inherit their environment from their parent (the process which started them)."

If this is the case, why do we need export? What am I missing?

Are shell variables not part of the environment by default? What is the difference?

I read here that the purpose of export in a shell is to make the variable available to sub-processes started from the shell.

However, I have also read here and here that "Processes inherit their environment from their parent (the process which started them)."

If this is the case, why do we need export? What am I missing?

Are shell variables not part of the environment by default? What is the difference?

I read here that the purpose of export in a shell is to make the variable available to sub-processes started from the shell.

However, I have also read here and here that "Processes inherit their environment from their parent (the process which started them)."

If this is the case, why do we need export? What am I missing?

Are shell variables not part of the environment by default? What is the difference?

I read here that the purpose of export in a shell is to make the variable available to sub-processes started from the shell.

However, I have also read here and here that "Processes inherit their environment from their parent (the process which started them)."

If this is the case, why do we need export? What am I missing?

Are shell variables not part of the environment by default? What is the difference?