Question 1

Should I commit .env files to version control?

Accepted Answer

Never commit .env files containing secrets. Add .env* to .gitignore. Instead, commit a .env.example with placeholder values showing required variables. Use secret management services in production (AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault, Doppler).

Question 2

What is the difference between .env and .env.local?

Accepted Answer

.env contains defaults for all environments. .env.local overrides for local development and should not be committed. .env.production and .env.development provide environment-specific values. Most frameworks load these in a specific precedence order.

Question 3

How do I generate secure secret values?

Accepted Answer

Use cryptographically secure random generators: openssl rand -base64 32, python -c using secrets.token_urlsafe(32), or node -e using crypto.randomBytes(32).toString(base64)

Question 4

What is the NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix in Next.js?

Accepted Answer

In Next.js, variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are exposed to the browser. Without this prefix, variables are only available server-side. Never put secrets in NEXT_PUBLIC_ variables as they will be bundled into client-side JavaScript.

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