> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usesink.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Import from a provider

> Move environment variables out of Railway, Vercel or Render and into Sink.

Sink reads environment variables directly out of **Railway**, **Vercel** and **Render** so you do not have to copy them by hand.

<Info>
  Provider import is a paid capability — the whole route group is gated, so an unentitled call answers `402`. See [Plans and limits](/guides/plans).
</Info>

<Warning>
  Your provider token is used for the request that needs it and nothing else. It is never written to Sink's database, the CLI config file, or your keychain.
</Warning>

## With the CLI

```bash theme={null}
sink import railway prod
```

With nothing but the provider name, the CLI asks the token for what it can see and walks you through picking a project, environment and service. Every import previews before it writes:

```bash theme={null}
sink import vercel prod --project prj_abc --provider-env production --dry-run
sink import render prod --service srv_1 --mode overwrite --yes
```

| Flag                     | Description                                                                                                                                |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `-t, --token`            | Provider token. `-` reads it from stdin; otherwise `SINK_RAILWAY_TOKEN`, `SINK_VERCEL_TOKEN` or `SINK_RENDER_TOKEN`, then a hidden prompt. |
| `--project`              | Provider project. For Render, the service.                                                                                                 |
| `--provider-env`         | Railway environment, or Vercel target.                                                                                                     |
| `--service`              | Railway or Render service. On Railway, omitting it imports the environment's shared variables.                                             |
| `--mode skip\|overwrite` | What to do with keys Sink already has. Default `skip`.                                                                                     |
| `--dry-run`              | Show the plan and stop.                                                                                                                    |
| `-y, --yes`              | Skip the confirmation. Required when not attached to a terminal.                                                                           |
| `--show-values`          | Print values in clear text in the preview. Masked otherwise.                                                                               |

### skip vs overwrite

`skip` creates the keys Sink does not have and leaves everything else alone — the safe default for a first import. `overwrite` also applies the provider's value to keys that differ, which mints a **new version** of each one rather than replacing history.

Variables the provider will not hand back in clear text (sealed or reference values, for instance) are reported as skipped, with a reason, so a short import is never a silent one.

## With the API

### Discover what a token can reach

```http theme={null}
POST /integrations/providers/{provider}/projects
```

```json theme={null}
{ "token": "provider_token" }
```

The response lists each project with its environments and services, in the provider's own vocabulary.

### Preview, then apply

Both routes hang off one base path:

```text theme={null}
/integrations/{workspace_id}/{team_id}/{project_id}/{environment_id}
```

| Method | Path       | Purpose                                                            |
| ------ | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `POST` | `/preview` | Work out the create / update / skip plan. Changes nothing.         |
| `POST` | `/`        | Apply it. Returns `created`, `updated`, `unchanged` and `skipped`. |

```json Preview request theme={null}
{
  "provider": "vercel",
  "token": "provider_token",
  "source": {
    "project_id": "prj_abc",
    "target": "production"
  },
  "reveal": false
}
```

Sending the same body with `"mode": "skip"` or `"mode": "overwrite"` to the base path applies it. `reveal` controls whether preview values come back in clear text or masked.

### Addressing each provider

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Railway">
    ```json theme={null}
    { "project_id": "…", "environment_id": "…", "service_id": "…" }
    ```

    `service_id` is optional — leave it out to read the environment's shared variables.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Vercel">
    ```json theme={null}
    { "project_id": "prj_…", "target": "production" }
    ```

    `target` is `production`, `preview` or `development`.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Render">
    ```json theme={null}
    { "project_id": "srv_…" }
    ```

    Render addresses a service directly; pass the service id as `project_id` or `service_id`.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## After the import

Pull the environment down and check it reads the way you expect:

```bash theme={null}
sink pull prod --stdout
```

Then delete the variables from the provider's dashboard, so there is one place they live.