How do I use .env files in my project?

How do I use .env files in my project?

.env files are used to store environment variables. You can create a .env file in your project root and define variables like this:

DATABASE_URL=your_database_url
API_KEY=your_api_key

Make sure to use a library like dotenv to load these variables into your application.

How do I load the variables in my application?

If you're using Node.js, you can load the variables by requiring the dotenv package at the top of your main file:

require('dotenv').config();

Then, you can access the variables using process.env.VARIABLE_NAME.

Can I use .env files in production?

Yes, you can use .env files in production, but it's important to ensure that sensitive information is not exposed. Consider using environment variables set directly in your hosting environment instead.

What should I do if my .env file is not loading?

Check if the dotenv package is installed and properly required in your code. Also, ensure that the .env file is in the correct directory and that there are no syntax errors in the file.