python · berthin · Jun 21, 2025 · Jun 21, 2025 · Jun 21, 2025 · Jun 21, 2025
diff --git a/Doc/library/netrc.rst b/Doc/library/netrc.rst
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ the Unix :program:`ftp` program and other FTP clients.
 .. class:: netrc([file])
 
    A :class:`~netrc.netrc` instance or subclass instance encapsulates data from  a netrc
-   file.  The initialization argument, if present, specifies the file to parse.  If
-   no argument is given, the file :file:`.netrc` in the user's home directory --
-   as determined by :func:`os.path.expanduser` -- will be read.  Otherwise,
+   file. The initialization argument, if present, specifies the file to parse. If no
+   argument is given, it will look for the file path in the :envvar:`!NETRC` environment variable,
+   before defaulting to reading the file :file:`.netrc` in the user's home
+   directory -- as determined by :func:`os.path.expanduser`. If the file cannot be found,
    a :exc:`FileNotFoundError` exception will be raised.
    Parse errors will raise :exc:`NetrcParseError` with diagnostic
    information including the file name, line number, and terminating token.
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ the Unix :program:`ftp` program and other FTP clients.
       can contain arbitrary characters, like whitespace and non-ASCII characters.
       If the login name is anonymous, it won't trigger the security check.
 
+   .. versionadded:: next
+      Added support for the :envvar:`!NETRC` environment variable.
+
 
 .. exception:: NetrcParseError
 

diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.15.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.15.rst
@@ -116,6 +116,13 @@ math
   (Contributed by Sergey B Kirpichev in :gh:`132908`.)
 
 
+netrc
+-----
+
+* Added support for the :envvar:`!NETRC` environment variable in :func:`netrc.netrc`.
+  (Contributed by Berthin Torres in :gh:`135788`.)
+
+
 os.path
 -------
 

diff --git a/Lib/netrc.py b/Lib/netrc.py
@@ -65,9 +65,10 @@ def push_token(self, token):
 
 class netrc:
     def __init__(self, file=None):
-        default_netrc = file is None
-        if file is None:
-            file = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".netrc")
+        envvar_netrc = os.environ.get("NETRC", "")
+        home_netrc = os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".netrc")
+        file = file or envvar_netrc or home_netrc
+        default_netrc = (file == home_netrc)
         self.hosts = {}
         self.macros = {}
         try:
-Original file line number
+Diff line change
@@ Expand Up / @@ -116,6 +116,13 @@ math @@
       (Contributed by Sergey B Kirpichev in :gh:`132908`.)
+    netrc
+    -----
+    * Added support for the :envvar:`!NETRC` environment variable in :func:`netrc.netrc`.
+      (Contributed by Berthin Torres in :gh:`135788`.)
     os.path
     -------
@@ Expand Down @@