Python Configuration Management

Externalize configuration from code using environment variables and typed settings. Well-managed configuration enables the same code to run in any environment without modification.

When to Use This Skill

• Setting up a new project's configuration system
• Migrating from hardcoded values to environment variables
• Implementing pydantic-settings for typed configuration
• Managing secrets and sensitive values
• Creating environment-specific settings (dev/staging/prod)
• Validating configuration at application startup

Core Concepts

1. Externalized Configuration

All environment-specific values (URLs, secrets, feature flags) come from environment variables, not code.