Environment variables configuration is one of the first things a developer touches when onboarding to a new codebase. Having clear, well-documented `.env.example` templates prevents broken builds and security mishaps.
Key Rules for Environment Variables
- **Never Commit Secret Credentials**: Never check API tokens, DB passwords, or private keys into git repositories.
- **Maintain a Clean `.env.example` Template**: Keep a dummy template with placeholder values so team members know which variables are required.
- **Use a Scratchpad for Local Configurations**: Use an offline or local sandbox notepad like Scripet to store local connection strings temporarily during setup.
Example `.env.example` Structure
# Database Configuration
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/mydb"# Authentication & Supabase NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co" NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="your-anon-key-here"
# Feature Flags & Analytics NEXT_PUBLIC_GA_MEASUREMENT_ID="G-XXXXXXXXXX" ```
Need to keep temporary environment templates handy across multiple repositories? Save them in a dedicated pad on Scripet.