env-config

Purpose

Prevent misconfigurations from reaching production. Validate environment variables at startup, manage secrets safely, and keep config portable across local dev, CI, and production.

.env File Patterns

File Hierarchy

• .env holds shared defaults. Commit this to the repo with safe placeholder values.
• .env.local holds developer-specific overrides. Add to .gitignore.
• .env.production, .env.staging, .env.test hold environment-specific values.
• Load order (most frameworks): .env < .env.local < .env.[environment] < .env.[environment].local.

Naming Conventions

• Prefix variables with the app or service name: MYAPP_DATABASE_URL, not just DATABASE_URL.
• Use SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE. No dots, no dashes.
• Boolean values: use true/false, not 1/0 or yes/no.
• Group related variables with a common prefix: MYAPP_REDIS_HOST, MYAPP_REDIS_PORT.