How to Edit .ENV Environment Variable Files

The .ENV file format contains environment variables for applications, typically storing sensitive information like API keys, database credentials, and configuration settings separate from code.

Opening ENV Files

ENV files are plain text with KEY=VALUE format. Open with any text editor. Note: ENV files are often hidden in file browsers (start with period on Linux/Mac).

ENV File Format

Simple format:

DATABASE_URL=postgres://localhost
API_KEY=your_secret_key
DEBUG=true
PORT=3000

Comments start with #. No spaces around equals sign. Quote strings containing spaces.

Security Best Practices

CRITICAL: Never commit .env files to Git repositories! Add .env to your .gitignore file. ENV files contain secrets that should not be shared publicly.

Common ENV Uses

• Web development: Database connections, API keys
• Node.js: Process environment configuration
• Docker: Container environment variables
• PHP frameworks: Laravel, Symfony configuration

Loading ENV Files

Applications use libraries to load .env files: dotenv (Node.js/Python), phpdotenv (PHP), dotenvy (Rust). These libraries read .env and set environment variables at runtime.

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