.env.development -

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_BASE_URL="http://localhost:3000/api" VITE_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY="AIzaSyD_...123" REACT_APP_FEATURE_FLAG_NEW_UI="true"

Create a .env.example file with keys but to show teammates what variables they need to set up. 4. Load the Variables How you use these variables depends on your environment: 🌐 Frontend (Vite/Next.js) Guides: Environment Variables - Next.js .env.development

| Practice | Rationale | |----------|-----------| | Commit .env.development (with safe defaults) | Provides consistent team configuration | | Gitignore .env.local and .env.*.local | Prevents accidental secret commits | | Use prefix conventions ( REACT_APP_ , NEXT_PUBLIC_ , etc.) | Enables framework integration | | Never commit real secrets, even in development | Secrets can be stolen from repos | | Validate required variables at startup | Catches configuration errors early | | Use secret managers in production | More secure than file-based config | | Rotate exposed credentials immediately | Mitigates security breaches | To create and use a

: Instead of searching through dozens of files to update a single API endpoint, you change it once in the .env.development file. .env.development

To create and use a .env.development file, follow these steps to manage your application's local configuration securely. 1. Create the File

LOG_LEVEL=debug CACHE_ENABLED=false

// Example in React/Node const apiUrl = process.env.REACT_APP_API_URL; console.log(apiUrl); // Outputs: http://localhost:5000/api Use code with caution.