environment-variables

The rule is simple: secrets should not live in source control, logs, or chat transcripts. I keep local development ergonomic with env files that never leave the machine, and I use a real secret manager in shared environments. Retrieval should be audit

Environment variables configure applications without code changes. The twelve-factor app methodology stores config in the environment. .env files provide local defaults—never commit them to Git. dotenv libraries load .env files in development. Product