Node Tactics

Web Development

Node.js Environment Variables

Using Environment Variables

Node.js environment variables use dotenv for configuration.

Introduction to Environment Variables

Environment variables are a set of dynamic values that can affect the way running processes behave on a computer. In the context of Node.js, environment variables are often used to store configuration settings, such as database connection strings, API keys, and other sensitive information.

Using environment variables allows you to separate your configuration from your codebase, making your application more secure and easier to manage.

Setting Up dotenv

To manage environment variables in a Node.js application, the dotenv package is commonly used. This package loads environment variables from a .env file into process.env, making them accessible throughout your application.

First, install the dotenv package using npm:

Creating a .env File

Create a .env file in the root of your project. This file should contain key-value pairs for your environment variables. Here is an example of what it might look like:

Loading Environment Variables

Once you have your .env file set up, you need to load these variables into your application. Add the following line at the top of your entry file (e.g., index.js):

This line of code reads your .env file and adds the variables to process.env. You can now access these variables throughout your application using process.env.VARIABLE_NAME.

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