The .env.sample file (sometimes called .env.example or .env.dist ) is a critical but often overlooked tool in modern development. While your .env file holds the "keys to the kingdom"—like database credentials and API tokens—the sample file acts as the blueprint for other developers to set up their own environments.
# --- DATABASE CONFIGURATION --- # The URL for your local or production database DATABASE_URL="mongodb://localhost:27017/my_app" # --- API KEYS --- # Get your key at: https://stripe.com STRIPE_SECRET_KEY="sk_test_example_value" # --- APP SETTINGS --- PORT=3000 NODE_ENV="development" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Best Practices .env.sample
In continuous integration, you might use a .env.sample to generate a test environment with placeholder values or dummy secrets. .env.sample