Environment Variables: Best Practices

Environment variables configure applications across environments. Here's how to manage them securely and effectively.

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Best Practices#

Security:
✓ Never commit secrets
✓ Use .env.example for documentation
✓ Use secret managers in production
✓ Rotate secrets regularly

Validation:
✓ Validate on startup
✓ Fail fast on missing required vars
✓ Use type-safe configuration
✓ Provide sensible defaults

Organization:
✓ Use consistent naming (SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE)
✓ Group related variables
✓ Document all variables
✓ Use environment-specific files

Environment variables separate configuration from code. Use .env files for local development, secret managers for production, and always validate configuration at startup. Type-safe configuration objects prevent runtime errors and improve developer experience.

Environment Variables: Best Practices

Basic Usage#

Type-Safe Configuration#

Environment Files#

Loading Environment Variables#

Secrets Management#

Validation Patterns#

Configuration Object#

Docker and Kubernetes#

Best Practices#

Conclusion#

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