How do I manage environment variables in a Rails application?

How do I manage environment variables in a Rails application?

You can manage environment variables in a Rails application using the dotenv gem or by setting them directly in your server's environment.

What is the dotenv gem and how do I use it?

The dotenv gem allows you to load environment variables from a .env file into your Rails application. You just need to add it to your Gemfile and create a .env file with your variables.

Can you show me an example of a .env file?

Sure! A typical .env file might look like this:

DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:password@localhost/dbname
SECRET_KEY_BASE=your_secret_key

Is it safe to store sensitive information in a .env file?

Yes, but make sure to add the .env file to your .gitignore to prevent it from being pushed to version control.