# Global Options

Description: An explanation about Hardhat's global options

Note: This document was authored using MDX

  Source: https://github.com/NomicFoundation/hardhat-website/tree/main/src/content/docs/docs/explanations/global-options.mdx

  Components used in this page:
    - <Run cmd="..."/>: Runs a command in the terminal with npm/pnpm/yarn.

import Run from "@hh/Run.astro";

Global Options are options that Hardhat can receive and are available across all of its functionality.

They are different from Hardhat Task options and arguments in that they are meant to control the functionality of Hardhat itself, and not that of a single task.

For example, `--network` is a global option that controls the default value that `network.create()` uses when no network config name is provided.

Plugins can define their own Global Options, so the complete list depends on your setup. To see all available options, run:

<Run command="hardhat --help" />

## Global Options and environment variables

Global Options can also be provided using environment variables formatted like `HARDHAT_<SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE>`. For example, you can run:

<Run
  prefix="HARDHAT_NETWORK=localhost"
  command="hardhat run script/my-script.ts"
/>

If both the environment variable and the command line argument are provided, the latter takes precedence.