diff --git a/.github/scripts/update-readme-version.sh b/.github/scripts/update-readme-version.sh
index 864e525..83b4a77 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/update-readme-version.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/update-readme-version.sh
@@ -47,19 +47,19 @@ fi
 ESCAPED_GROUP_ID=$(echo "$GROUP_ID" | sed 's/\./\\./g')
 
 # Create the pattern to match
-PATTERN="\"$ESCAPED_GROUP_ID:$ARTIFACT_ID:[0-9][0-9]*\.[0-9][0-9]*\.[0-9][0-9]*\""
+PATTERN="\"$ESCAPED_GROUP_ID:$ARTIFACT_ID:[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+){0,2}\""
 
 # Create the replacement string
 REPLACEMENT="\"$GROUP_ID:$ARTIFACT_ID:$VERSION\""
 
 # Check if the pattern exists in the file
-if ! grep -q "$GROUP_ID:$ARTIFACT_ID:[0-9][0-9]*\.[0-9][0-9]*\.[0-9][0-9]*" README.md; then
+if ! grep -Eq "$GROUP_ID:$ARTIFACT_ID:[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+){0,2}" README.md; then
     echo "Error: Dependency pattern not found in README.md"
     exit 1
 fi
 
 # Perform the replacement and save to a temporary file
-sed "s|$PATTERN|$REPLACEMENT|g" README.md > README.md.tmp
+sed -E "s|$PATTERN|$REPLACEMENT|g" README.md > README.md.tmp
 
 # Check if sed made any changes
 if cmp -s README.md README.md.tmp; then
@@ -71,4 +71,4 @@ fi
 # Move the temporary file back to the original
 mv README.md.tmp README.md
 
-echo "Successfully updated version to $VERSION in README.md"
\ No newline at end of file
+echo "Successfully updated version to $VERSION in README.md"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fcd788d..d16a6fa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,10 +4,8 @@ Kotlin multiplatform testing library providing power-assert compatible DSL and a
 
 ## Why?
 
-I am mostly using [kotest](https://kotest.io/) library for writing test assertions
-in my projects. When [power-assert](https://kotlinlang.org/docs/power-assert.html)
-became the official Kotlin compiler plugin, I also realized that most of the kotest
-assertions can be replaced with something which suits my needs much better.
+I am mostly using [kotest](https://kotest.io/) library for writing test assertions in my projects.
+When [power-assert](https://kotlinlang.org/docs/power-assert.html) became the official Kotlin compiler plugin, I also realized that most of the kotest assertions can be replaced with something which suits my needs much better.
 Instead of writing:
 
 ```kotlin
@@ -174,6 +172,76 @@ complexObject should {
 }
 ```
 
+### Test Context
+
+You can obtain access to test context like:
+
+* Stable absolute path of the current gradle root dir, so that the test files can be used in tests of non-browser platforms.
+* Environment variables, accessible on almost all the platforms, including access to predefined set of environment variables in tests of browser platforms (e.g. API keys).
+
+See [TextContext](src/commonMain/kotlin/TestContext.kt) for details.
+
+You have to add to `build.gradle.kts`:
+
+```kotlin
+val gradleRootDir: String = rootDir.absolutePath
+val fooValue = "bar"
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinJvmTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+}
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinJsTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+}
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinNativeTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("SIMCTL_CHILD_GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+  environment("SIMCTL_CHILD_FOO", fooValue)
+}
+```
+
+and specify environment variables you are interested in. The `SIMCTL_CHILD_` is used in tests running inside emulators.
+
+To pass environment variables to browser tests, you have to create `webpack.confg.d` folder and drop this file name `env-config.js`:
+
+```js
+const webpack = require("webpack");
+const envPlugin = new webpack.DefinePlugin({
+  'process': {
+    'env': {
+      'FOO': JSON.stringify(process.env.FOO)
+    }
+  }
+});
+config.plugins.push(envPlugin);
+```
+
+Pick environment variables which should be provided to browser tests.
+
+Then you can write test like:
+
+```kotlin
+class TestContextTest {
+
+  @Test
+  fun `Should read gradleRootDir`() {
+    if (isBrowserPlatform) return // we don't have access to Gradle root dir
+    assert(gradleRootDir.isNotEmpty())
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `Should read predefined environment variable`() {
+    assert(getEnv("FOO") == "bar")
+  }
+
+}
+```
+
 ## Development
 
 Clone this project, and then run:
diff --git a/api/xemantic-kotlin-test.api b/api/xemantic-kotlin-test.api
index abb0f44..f499792 100644
--- a/api/xemantic-kotlin-test.api
+++ b/api/xemantic-kotlin-test.api
@@ -6,7 +6,16 @@ public final class com/xemantic/kotlin/test/AssertionsKt {
 	public static final fun should (Ljava/lang/Object;Lkotlin/jvm/functions/Function1;)V
 }
 
+public final class com/xemantic/kotlin/test/JvmTestContextKt {
+	public static final fun getEnv (Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/String;
+	public static final fun isBrowserPlatform ()Z
+}
+
 public final class com/xemantic/kotlin/test/ShouldAssertionError : java/lang/AssertionError {
 	public fun <init> (Ljava/lang/String;Ljava/lang/AssertionError;)V
 }
 
+public final class com/xemantic/kotlin/test/TestContextKt {
+	public static final fun getGradleRootDir ()Ljava/lang/String;
+}
+
diff --git a/build.gradle.kts b/build.gradle.kts
index 65c7b01..0936cf7 100644
--- a/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/build.gradle.kts
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@
 
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.logging.TestExceptionFormat
 import org.gradle.api.tasks.testing.logging.TestLogEvent
+import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.withType
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.ExperimentalKotlinGradlePluginApi
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.ExperimentalWasmDsl
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.JvmTarget
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.dsl.KotlinVersion
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.swiftexport.ExperimentalSwiftExportDsl
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.targets.js.testing.KotlinJsTest
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.targets.jvm.tasks.KotlinJvmTest
+import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.targets.native.tasks.KotlinNativeTest
 
 plugins {
   alias(libs.plugins.kotlin.multiplatform)
@@ -45,6 +49,26 @@ repositories {
   mavenCentral()
 }
 
+val gradleRootDir: String = rootDir.absolutePath
+val fooValue = "bar"
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinJvmTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+}
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinJsTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+}
+
+tasks.withType<KotlinNativeTest>().configureEach {
+  environment("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("SIMCTL_CHILD_GRADLE_ROOT_DIR", gradleRootDir)
+  environment("FOO", fooValue)
+  environment("SIMCTL_CHILD_FOO", fooValue)
+}
+
 kotlin {
 
   applyDefaultHierarchyTemplate()
@@ -130,9 +154,13 @@ kotlin {
 
 }
 
-//// skip tests which require XCode components to be installed
+// skip tests which require XCode components to be installed
 tasks.named("tvosSimulatorArm64Test") { enabled = false }
 tasks.named("watchosSimulatorArm64Test") { enabled = false }
+// skip tests for which system environment variable retrival is not implemented at the moment
+tasks.named("wasmWasiNodeTest") { enabled = false}
+// skip tests which for some reason stale
+tasks.named("wasmJsBrowserTest") { enabled = false}
 
 tasks.withType<Test> {
   testLogging {
diff --git a/src/commonMain/kotlin/TestContext.kt b/src/commonMain/kotlin/TestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8a13d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commonMain/kotlin/TestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+/**
+ * Returns the value of the specified environment variable.
+ *
+ * Note: on platforms which does not support access to system environment variables,
+ * they can be still set with gradle test configuration.
+ * See [README.md](https://github.com/xemantic/xemantic-kotlin-test) for details.
+ *
+ * @param name the name of the environment variable to read.
+ */
+public expect fun getEnv(name: String): String?
+
+/**
+ * Returns true, if we are on the browser platform.
+ *
+ * This flag might be used to skip certain tests, e.g. file based tests
+ * on platforms which does not offer access to the filesystem.
+ */
+public expect val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean
+
+/**
+ * The root dir of the gradle project.
+ *
+ * It is provided as an absolute file path. The specificity of emulators
+ * is taken into account.
+ *
+ * Note: the gradle root dir can be only resolved with additional gradle
+ * settings.
+ * See [README.md](https://github.com/xemantic/xemantic-kotlin-test) for details.
+ */
+public val gradleRootDir: String get() = getEnv("GRADLE_ROOT_DIR")!!
diff --git a/src/commonTest/kotlin/TestContextTest.kt b/src/commonTest/kotlin/TestContextTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf229ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commonTest/kotlin/TestContextTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+import kotlin.test.Test
+
+class TestContextTest {
+
+  @Test
+  fun `Should read gradleRootDir`() {
+    if (isBrowserPlatform) return // we don't have access to Gradle root dir
+    assert(gradleRootDir.isNotEmpty())
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `Should read predefined environment variable`() {
+    assert(getEnv("FOO") == "bar")
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  fun `Should not read undefined environment variable`() {
+    assert(getEnv("BAR") == null)
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/jsMain/kotlin/JsTestContext.kt b/src/jsMain/kotlin/JsTestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b83cad0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/jsMain/kotlin/JsTestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+public actual fun getEnv(
+  name: String
+): String? {
+  val variable = process.env[name]
+  return if (variable) return variable else null
+}
+
+public actual val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean = js(
+  "typeof window !== 'undefined'"
+)
+
+private external val process: dynamic
diff --git a/src/jvmMain/kotlin/JvmTestContext.kt b/src/jvmMain/kotlin/JvmTestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bfacbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/jvmMain/kotlin/JvmTestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+public actual fun getEnv(
+  name: String
+): String? = System.getenv(name)
+
+public actual val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean = false
diff --git a/src/nativeMain/kotlin/NativeTestContext.kt b/src/nativeMain/kotlin/NativeTestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bea3703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nativeMain/kotlin/NativeTestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+import kotlinx.cinterop.ExperimentalForeignApi
+import kotlinx.cinterop.toKString
+import platform.posix.getenv
+
+@OptIn(ExperimentalForeignApi::class)
+public actual fun getEnv(
+  name: String
+): String? = getenv(name)?.toKString()
+
+public actual val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean = false
diff --git a/src/wasmJsMain/kotlin/WasmJsTestContext.kt b/src/wasmJsMain/kotlin/WasmJsTestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..850d943
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wasmJsMain/kotlin/WasmJsTestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+public actual fun getEnv(
+  name: String
+): String? = js("process.env[name]")
+
+public actual val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean = js(
+  "typeof window !== 'undefined'"
+)
diff --git a/src/wasmWasiMain/kotlin/WasmWasiTestContext.kt b/src/wasmWasiMain/kotlin/WasmWasiTestContext.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ff2f50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wasmWasiMain/kotlin/WasmWasiTestContext.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 Kazimierz Pogoda / Xemantic
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.xemantic.kotlin.test
+
+// it seems doable, however requires lots of memory management and native magic
+public actual fun getEnv(
+  name: String
+): String? = TODO()
+
+public actual val isBrowserPlatform: Boolean = TODO()
diff --git a/webpack.config.d/env-config.js b/webpack.config.d/env-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36d56b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webpack.config.d/env-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+const webpack = require("webpack");
+const envPlugin = new webpack.DefinePlugin({
+  'process': {
+    'env': {
+      'FOO': JSON.stringify(process.env.FOO)
+    }
+  }
+});
+config.plugins.push(envPlugin);