Env vars docs (#49346)

lib/spack/docs/env_vars_yaml.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+.. Copyright Spack Project Developers. See COPYRIGHT file for details.
+
+   SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
+
+.. _env-vars-yaml:
+
+=============================================
+Environment Variable Settings (env_vars.yaml)
+=============================================
+
+Spack allows you to include shell environment variable modifications
+for a spack environment by including an ``env_vars.yaml``.  Environment
+varaibles can be modified by setting, unsetting, appending, and prepending
+variables in the shell environment.
+The changes to the shell environment will take effect when the spack
+environment is activated.
+
+for example,
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+  env_vars:
+    set:
+      ENVAR_TO_SET_IN_ENV_LOAD: "FOO"
+    unset:
+      ENVAR_TO_UNSET_IN_ENV_LOAD:
+    prepend_path:
+      PATH_LIST: "path/to/prepend"
+    append_path:
+      PATH_LIST: "path/to/append"
+    remove_path:
+      PATH_LIST: "path/to/remove"
+
+

lib/spack/docs/environments.rst

@@ -1000,6 +1000,28 @@ For example, the following environment has three root packages:
 This allows for a much-needed reduction in redundancy between packages
 and constraints.
 
+-------------------------------
+Modifying Environment Variables
+-------------------------------
+
+Spack Environments can modify the active shell's environment variables when activated.  The environment can be
+configured to set, unset, prepend, or append using ``env_vars`` configuration in the ``spack.yaml``  or through config scopes
+file:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+  spack:
+    env_vars:
+      set:
+        ENVAR_TO_SET_IN_ENV_LOAD: "FOO"
+      unset:
+        ENVAR_TO_UNSET_IN_ENV_LOAD:
+      prepend_path:
+        PATH_LIST: "path/to/prepend"
+      append_path:
+        PATH_LIST: "path/to/append"
+      remove_path:
+        PATH_LIST: "path/to/remove"
 
 -----------------
 Environment Views

lib/spack/docs/index.rst

@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ or refer to the full manual below.
    packages_yaml
    build_settings
    environments
+   env_vars_yaml
    containers
    mirrors
    module_file_support