.env.sample • Real

Keys are provided, but values are fake, empty, or labeled XXXXX or your_value_here . Documentation: Comments explaining what each variable does.

The manager reads your sample, asks for the real values, and injects them securely without ever writing a physical .env file. .env.sample

require('dotenv').config();

# --- 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 Keys are provided, but values are fake, empty,

A .env.sample file is a template used in software development to show which are needed to run an application, without revealing actual secret keys, passwords, or credentials. It is commonly committed to version control (like Git) so other developers know how to configure their local environments. Common Contents require('dotenv')

: Add comments starting with # to explain specifically where a developer can find a particular key (e.g., "Get this from your AWS Console").