What are the best practices for using environment variables in API authentication?

What are the best practices for using environment variables in API authentication?

Using environment variables for API authentication helps keep sensitive information secure. Best practices include: 1. Store secrets in environment variables instead of hardcoding them. 2. Use a .env file for local development and ensure it's excluded from version control. 3. Validate environment variables at application startup to catch missing or misconfigured values.

Can you give me an example of how to set this up in a Node.js application?

Sure! In a Node.js application, you can use the 'dotenv' package. First, install it using npm: npm install dotenv. Then, create a .env file in your project root and add your variables like this: API_KEY=your_api_key. In your app, require and configure dotenv at the top of your main file: require('dotenv').config();. You can access your API key using process.env.API_KEY.

What should I do if I accidentally expose my environment variables?

If you accidentally expose your environment variables, immediately rotate your API keys and secrets. Update your .env file and any other configurations. Also, check your version control history to remove any sensitive information and consider using tools like GitHub's secret scanning.

Are there any tools to help manage environment variables?

Yes, there are several tools available for managing environment variables, such as: 1. dotenv for Node.js applications. 2. AWS Secrets Manager for cloud-based applications. 3. HashiCorp Vault for secure storage and access management.