feat: add merge_strategy support for coder_env resources (#23107)

## Description

Implements the server-side merge logic for the `merge_strategy`
attribute added to `coder_env` in [terraform-provider-coder
v2.15.0](https://github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/pull/489).
This allows template authors to control how duplicate environment
variable names are combined across multiple `coder_env` resources.

Relates to https://github.com/coder/coder/issues/21885

## Supported strategies

| Strategy | Behavior |
|----------|----------|
| `replace` (default) | Last value wins — backward compatible |
| `append` | Joins values with `:` separator (e.g. PATH additions) |
| `prepend` | Prepends value with `:` separator |
| `error` | Fails the build if the variable is already defined |

## Example

```hcl
resource "coder_env" "path_tools" {
  agent_id       = coder_agent.dev.id
  name           = "PATH"
  value          = "/home/coder/tools/bin"
  merge_strategy = "append"
}
```

## Changes

- **Proto**: Added `merge_strategy` field to `Env` message in
`provisioner.proto`
- **State reader**: Updated `agentEnvAttributes` struct and proto
construction in `resources.go`
- **Merge logic**: Added `mergeExtraEnvs()` function in
`provisionerdserver.go` with strategy-aware merging for both agent envs
and devcontainer subagent envs
- **Tests**: 15 unit tests covering all strategies, edge cases (empty
values, mixed strategies, multiple appends)
- **Dependency**: Bumped `terraform-provider-coder` v2.14.0 → v2.15.0
- **Fixtures**: Updated `duplicate-env-keys` test fixtures and golden
files

## Ordering

When multiple resources `append` or `prepend` to the same key, they are
processed in alphabetical order by Terraform resource address (per the
determinism fix in #22706).

cli/testdata/coder_provisioner_list_--output_json.golden

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "last_seen_at": "====[timestamp]=====",
     "name": "test-daemon",
     "version": "v0.0.0-devel",
-    "api_version": "1.15",
+    "api_version": "1.16",
     "provisioners": [
       "echo"
     ],

coderd/provisionerdserver/mergeenvs_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+package provisionerdserver_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/coder/coder/v2/coderd/provisionerdserver"
+	sdkproto "github.com/coder/coder/v2/provisionersdk/proto"
+)
+
+func TestMergeExtraEnvs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		initial   map[string]string
+		envs      []*sdkproto.Env
+		expected  map[string]string
+		expectErr string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "empty",
+			initial:  map[string]string{},
+			envs:     nil,
+			expected: map[string]string{},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "default_replace",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "FOO", Value: "bar"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"FOO": "bar"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "explicit_replace",
+			initial: map[string]string{"FOO": "old"},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "FOO", Value: "new", MergeStrategy: "replace"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"FOO": "new"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "empty_strategy_defaults_to_replace",
+			initial: map[string]string{"FOO": "old"},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "FOO", Value: "new", MergeStrategy: ""},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"FOO": "new"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "append_to_existing",
+			initial: map[string]string{"PATH": "/usr/bin"},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/custom/bin", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/usr/bin:/custom/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "append_no_existing",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/custom/bin", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/custom/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "append_to_empty_value",
+			initial: map[string]string{"PATH": ""},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/custom/bin", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/custom/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "prepend_to_existing",
+			initial: map[string]string{"PATH": "/usr/bin"},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/custom/bin", MergeStrategy: "prepend"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/custom/bin:/usr/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "prepend_no_existing",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/custom/bin", MergeStrategy: "prepend"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/custom/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "error_no_duplicate",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "FOO", Value: "bar", MergeStrategy: "error"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"FOO": "bar"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "error_with_duplicate",
+			initial: map[string]string{"FOO": "existing"},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "FOO", Value: "new", MergeStrategy: "error"},
+			},
+			expectErr: "duplicate env var",
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "multiple_appends_same_key",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/a/bin", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/b/bin", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/a/bin:/b/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "multiple_prepends_same_key",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/a/bin", MergeStrategy: "prepend"},
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/b/bin", MergeStrategy: "prepend"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/b/bin:/a/bin"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "mixed_strategies",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/first", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/override", MergeStrategy: "replace"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{"PATH": "/override"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "mixed_keys",
+			initial: map[string]string{},
+			envs: []*sdkproto.Env{
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/a", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+				{Name: "HOME", Value: "/home/user"},
+				{Name: "PATH", Value: "/b", MergeStrategy: "append"},
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{
+				"PATH": "/a:/b",
+				"HOME": "/home/user",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			env := make(map[string]string)
+			for k, v := range tc.initial {
+				env[k] = v
+			}
+			err := provisionerdserver.MergeExtraEnvs(env, tc.envs)
+			if tc.expectErr != "" {
+				require.ErrorContains(t, err, tc.expectErr)
+				return
+			}
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Equal(t, tc.expected, env)
+		})
+	}
+}

coderd/provisionerdserver/provisionerdserver.go

@@ -2834,12 +2834,11 @@ func InsertWorkspaceResource(ctx context.Context, db database.Store, jobID uuid.
 		}
 
 		env := make(map[string]string)
-		// For now, we only support adding extra envs, not overriding
+		// Apply extra envs with merge strategy support.
-		// existing ones or performing other manipulations. In future
+		// When multiple coder_env resources define the same name,
-		// we may write these to a separate table so we can perform
+		// the merge_strategy controls how values are combined.
-		// conditional logic on the agent.
+		if err := MergeExtraEnvs(env, prAgent.ExtraEnvs); err != nil {
-		for _, e := range prAgent.ExtraEnvs {
+			return err
-			env[e.Name] = e.Value
 		}
 		// Allow the agent defined envs to override extra envs.
 		for k, v := range prAgent.Env {
@@ -3435,14 +3434,54 @@ func insertDevcontainerSubagent(
 	return subAgentID, nil
 }
 
+// MergeExtraEnvs applies extra environment variables to the given map,
+// respecting the merge_strategy field on each env. When merge_strategy
+// is empty or "replace", the value overwrites any existing entry.
+// "append" and "prepend" join values with a ":" separator (PATH-style).
+// "error" causes a failure if the key already exists.
+func MergeExtraEnvs(env map[string]string, extraEnvs []*sdkproto.Env) error {
+	for _, e := range extraEnvs {
+		strategy := e.GetMergeStrategy()
+		if strategy == "" {
+			strategy = "replace"
+		}
+		existing, exists := env[e.GetName()]
+		switch strategy {
+		case "error":
+			if exists {
+				return xerrors.Errorf(
+					"duplicate env var %q: merge_strategy is %q but variable is already defined",
+					e.GetName(), strategy,
+				)
+			}
+			env[e.GetName()] = e.GetValue()
+		case "append":
+			if exists && existing != "" {
+				env[e.GetName()] = existing + ":" + e.GetValue()
+			} else {
+				env[e.GetName()] = e.GetValue()
+			}
+		case "prepend":
+			if exists && existing != "" {
+				env[e.GetName()] = e.GetValue() + ":" + existing
+			} else {
+				env[e.GetName()] = e.GetValue()
+			}
+		default: // "replace"
+			env[e.GetName()] = e.GetValue()
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func encodeSubagentEnvs(envs []*sdkproto.Env) (pqtype.NullRawMessage, error) {
 	if len(envs) == 0 {
 		return pqtype.NullRawMessage{}, nil
 	}
 
 	subAgentEnvs := make(map[string]string, len(envs))
-	for _, env := range envs {
+	if err := MergeExtraEnvs(subAgentEnvs, envs); err != nil {
-		subAgentEnvs[env.GetName()] = env.GetValue()
+		return pqtype.NullRawMessage{}, err
 	}
 
 	data, err := json.Marshal(subAgentEnvs)

docs/admin/templates/extending-templates/environment-variables.md

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+# Environment variables
+
+Use the
+[`coder_env`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/coder/coder/latest/docs/resources/env)
+resource to inject environment variables into your workspace agents. This is
+useful for configuring tools, setting paths, and passing configuration to
+development environments.
+
+## Basic usage
+
+```tf
+resource "coder_agent" "dev" {
+  os   = "linux"
+  arch = "amd64"
+}
+
+resource "coder_env" "go_path" {
+  agent_id = coder_agent.dev.id
+  name     = "GOPATH"
+  value    = "/home/coder/go"
+}
+```
+
+Each `coder_env` resource sets a single environment variable on the specified
+agent. You can define multiple `coder_env` resources targeting the same agent.
+
+## Merge strategies
+
+When multiple `coder_env` resources define the same variable name, use the
+`merge_strategy` attribute to control how values are combined:
+
+| Strategy              | Behavior                                            |
+|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
+| `replace` _(default)_ | Last value wins. Backward compatible.               |
+| `append`              | Appends to the existing value with `:` separator.   |
+| `prepend`             | Prepends to the existing value with `:` separator.  |
+| `error`               | Fails the build if the variable is already defined. |
+
+The `append` and `prepend` strategies use `:` as a separator, which matches
+the convention for `PATH`-style variables on Unix systems.
+
+### Example: Appending to PATH
+
+Multiple `coder_env` resources can each add directories to `PATH`:
+
+```tf
+resource "coder_env" "path_tools" {
+  agent_id       = coder_agent.dev.id
+  name           = "PATH"
+  value          = "/home/coder/tools/bin"
+  merge_strategy = "append"
+}
+
+resource "coder_env" "path_go" {
+  agent_id       = coder_agent.dev.id
+  name           = "PATH"
+  value          = "/home/coder/go/bin"
+  merge_strategy = "append"
+}
+```
+
+This produces `PATH` with the value
+`/home/coder/tools/bin:/home/coder/go/bin`.
+
+### Example: Preventing duplicates
+
+Use `error` to catch accidental duplicate definitions:
+
+```tf
+resource "coder_env" "editor" {
+  agent_id       = coder_agent.dev.id
+  name           = "EDITOR"
+  value          = "vim"
+  merge_strategy = "error"
+}
+```
+
+If another `coder_env` resource also sets `EDITOR`, the build fails with
+a clear error message.
+
+## Ordering
+
+When multiple `coder_env` resources append or prepend to the same variable,
+they are processed in alphabetical order by their
+[Terraform resource address](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/cli/state/resource-addressing).
+In the PATH example above, `coder_env.path_go` is processed before
+`coder_env.path_tools` because `path_go` sorts before `path_tools`
+alphabetically.
+
+## Agent env override
+
+The `env` block inside a `coder_agent` resource always takes final precedence
+over any `coder_env` resources. If both define the same variable, the
+`coder_agent` value wins regardless of `merge_strategy`. This override happens
+after `coder_env` resources are merged, so `merge_strategy = "error"` does not
+trigger when the conflict is with the agent's `env` block — only when two
+`coder_env` resources define the same key:
+
+```tf
+resource "coder_agent" "dev" {
+  os   = "linux"
+  arch = "amd64"
+  env = {
+    PATH = "/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin"
+  }
+}
+
+# This value is ignored because coder_agent.dev.env sets PATH directly.
+resource "coder_env" "extra_path" {
+  agent_id       = coder_agent.dev.id
+  name           = "PATH"
+  value          = "/home/coder/bin"
+  merge_strategy = "append"
+}
+```
+
+See the
+[Coder Terraform provider documentation](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/coder/coder/latest/docs/resources/env)
+for the complete `coder_env` reference.

docs/admin/templates/extending-templates/index.md

@@ -139,6 +139,17 @@ resource "coder_app" "zed" {
 Check out our [module registry](https://registry.coder.com/modules) for
 additional Coder apps from the team and our OSS community.
 
+## Environment variables
+
+Use the
+[`coder_env`](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/coder/coder/latest/docs/resources/env)
+resource to inject environment variables into workspace agents. Multiple
+resources can target the same variable using
+[merge strategies](./environment-variables.md) like `append` and `prepend`,
+which is useful for building up `PATH`-style variables across modules.
+
+See [Environment variables](./environment-variables.md) for details.
+
 ## Running scripts on workspace lifecycle
 
 The

docs/manifest.json

@@ -629,6 +629,11 @@
 									"description": "Control resource persistence",
 									"path": "./admin/templates/extending-templates/resource-persistence.md"
 								},
+								{
+									"title": "Environment Variables",
+									"description": "Inject environment variables into workspaces using coder_env",
+									"path": "./admin/templates/extending-templates/environment-variables.md"
+								},
 								{
 									"title": "Terraform Variables",
 									"description": "Use variables to manage template state",

go.mod

@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/coder/quartz v0.3.0
 	github.com/coder/retry v1.5.1
 	github.com/coder/serpent v0.14.0
-	github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.14.0
+	github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.15.0
 	github.com/coder/websocket v1.8.14
 	github.com/coder/wgtunnel v0.2.0
 	github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.17.0

go.sum

@@ -351,8 +351,8 @@ github.com/coder/tailscale v1.1.1-0.20260313130012-33e050fd4bd9 h1:y9SeiKzMyyip1
 github.com/coder/tailscale v1.1.1-0.20260313130012-33e050fd4bd9/go.mod h1:q+R4UL4pPb0CpaSNVUTDsg0kZeL/OlqjRNO9XbJxU5g=
 github.com/coder/terraform-config-inspect v0.0.0-20250107175719-6d06d90c630e h1:JNLPDi2P73laR1oAclY6jWzAbucf70ASAvf5mh2cME0=
 github.com/coder/terraform-config-inspect v0.0.0-20250107175719-6d06d90c630e/go.mod h1:Gz/z9Hbn+4KSp8A2FBtNszfLSdT2Tn/uAKGuVqqWmDI=
-github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.14.0 h1:5lwDIyqyyX+j5BkZzgnnkDx+QM9Py4CosDh+XzixoVs=
+github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.15.0 h1:sdKV3JvwlL7FNuSfaba0pm2WsPTBG7d0H6lmbzX+q4M=
-github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.14.0/go.mod h1:++c+FmMAFj8+H8lxstoaGBmTM3YFSxnVRxSkkdAG+YA=
+github.com/coder/terraform-provider-coder/v2 v2.15.0/go.mod h1:++c+FmMAFj8+H8lxstoaGBmTM3YFSxnVRxSkkdAG+YA=
 github.com/coder/trivy v0.0.0-20250807211036-0bb0acd620a8 h1:VYB/6cIIKsVkwXOAWbqpj4Ux+WwF/XTnRyvHcwfHZ7A=
 github.com/coder/trivy v0.0.0-20250807211036-0bb0acd620a8/go.mod h1:O73tP+UvJlI2GQZD060Jt0sf+6alKcGAgORh6sgB0+M=
 github.com/coder/websocket v1.8.14 h1:9L0p0iKiNOibykf283eHkKUHHrpG7f65OE3BhhO7v9g=

provisioner/terraform/resources.go

@@ -118,9 +118,10 @@ type agentAppAttributes struct {
 }
 
 type agentEnvAttributes struct {
-	AgentID string `mapstructure:"agent_id"`
+	AgentID       string `mapstructure:"agent_id"`
-	Name    string `mapstructure:"name"`
+	Name          string `mapstructure:"name"`
-	Value   string `mapstructure:"value"`
+	Value         string `mapstructure:"value"`
+	MergeStrategy string `mapstructure:"merge_strategy"`
 }
 
 type agentScriptAttributes struct {
@@ -648,8 +649,9 @@ func ConvertState(ctx context.Context, modules []*tfjson.StateModule, rawGraph s
 		}
 
 		env := &proto.Env{
-			Name:  attrs.Name,
+			Name:          attrs.Name,
-			Value: attrs.Value,
+			Value:         attrs.Value,
+			MergeStrategy: attrs.MergeStrategy,
 		}
 
 	envAgentLoop:

provisioner/terraform/resources_test.go

@@ -382,12 +382,14 @@ func TestConvertResources(t *testing.T) {
 					Architecture:    "amd64",
 					ExtraEnvs: []*proto.Env{
 						{
-							Name:  "PATH",
+							Name:          "PATH",
-							Value: "/a/bin",
+							Value:         "/a/bin",
+							MergeStrategy: "append",
 						},
 						{
-							Name:  "PATH",
+							Name:          "PATH",
-							Value: "/b/bin",
+							Value:         "/b/bin",
+							MergeStrategy: "append",
 						},
 						{
 							Name:  "UNIQUE",

provisioner/terraform/testdata/resources/duplicate-env-keys/converted_state.plan.golden

@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@
           "extra_envs": [
             {
               "name": "PATH",
-              "value": "/a/bin"
+              "value": "/a/bin",
+              "merge_strategy": "append"
             },
             {
               "name": "PATH",
-              "value": "/b/bin"
+              "value": "/b/bin",
+              "merge_strategy": "append"
             },
             {
               "name": "UNIQUE",

provisioner/terraform/testdata/resources/duplicate-env-keys/converted_state.state.golden

@@ -22,11 +22,13 @@
           "extra_envs": [
             {
               "name": "PATH",
-              "value": "/a/bin"
+              "value": "/a/bin",
+              "merge_strategy": "append"
             },
             {
               "name": "PATH",
-              "value": "/b/bin"
+              "value": "/b/bin",
+              "merge_strategy": "append"
             },
             {
               "name": "UNIQUE",

provisioner/terraform/testdata/resources/duplicate-env-keys/duplicate-env-keys.tfplan.json

@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
           "schema_version": 1,
           "values": {
             "name": "PATH",
-            "value": "/a/bin"
+            "value": "/a/bin",
+            "merge_strategy": "append"
           },
           "sensitive_values": {}
         },
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@
           "schema_version": 1,
           "values": {
             "name": "PATH",
-            "value": "/b/bin"
+            "value": "/b/bin",
+            "merge_strategy": "append"
           },
           "sensitive_values": {}
         },

provisioner/terraform/testdata/resources/duplicate-env-keys/duplicate-env-keys.tfstate.json

@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@
             "agent_id": "aaaaaaaa-1111-2222-3333-444444444444",
             "id": "bbbbbbbb-1111-2222-3333-444444444444",
             "name": "PATH",
-            "value": "/a/bin"
+            "value": "/a/bin",
+            "merge_strategy": "append"
           },
           "sensitive_values": {},
           "depends_on": [
@@ -78,7 +79,8 @@
             "agent_id": "aaaaaaaa-1111-2222-3333-444444444444",
             "id": "cccccccc-1111-2222-3333-444444444444",
             "name": "PATH",
-            "value": "/b/bin"
+            "value": "/b/bin",
+            "merge_strategy": "append"
           },
           "sensitive_values": {},
           "depends_on": [

provisionerd/proto/version.go

@@ -75,9 +75,12 @@ import "github.com/coder/coder/v2/apiversion"
 // API v1.15:
 //   - Removed `stop_modules` from CompleteJob. Was a duplicate of start_modules
 //   - Add `id`, `subagent_id`, `apps`, `scripts` and `envs` to `provisioner.Devcontainer`
+//
+// API v1.16:
+//   - Added `merge_strategy` field to `provisioner.Env` message
 const (
 	CurrentMajor = 1
-	CurrentMinor = 15
+	CurrentMinor = 16
 )
 
 // CurrentVersion is the current provisionerd API version.

provisionersdk/proto/provisioner.proto

@@ -225,6 +225,10 @@ message DisplayApps {
 message Env {
   string name = 1;
   string value = 2;
+  // merge_strategy controls how this env var is merged when multiple
+  // coder_env resources define the same name. Valid values: "replace"
+  // (default), "append", "prepend", "error".
+  string merge_strategy = 3;
 }
 
 // Script represents a script to be run on the workspace.

site/e2e/provisionerGenerated.ts

@@ -287,6 +287,12 @@ export interface DisplayApps {
 export interface Env {
   name: string;
   value: string;
+  /**
+   * merge_strategy controls how this env var is merged when multiple
+   * coder_env resources define the same name. Valid values: "replace"
+   * (default), "append", "prepend", "error".
+   */
+  mergeStrategy: string;
 }
 
 /** Script represents a script to be run on the workspace. */
@@ -1052,6 +1058,9 @@ export const Env = {
     if (message.value !== "") {
       writer.uint32(18).string(message.value);
     }
+    if (message.mergeStrategy !== "") {
+      writer.uint32(26).string(message.mergeStrategy);
+    }
     return writer;
   },
 };