: Files meant strictly for the local machine. They are ignored by git and override non-local files.
But where does .env.default.local fit in? While it isn't a "standard" file automatically recognized by every library (like dotenv ), it has become a popular pattern for teams needing a more granular way to handle of default configurations .
Many popular frameworks have built-in support for this pattern. Here's a look at how they handle it. .env.default.local
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Environment File Hierarchy │ ├───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┤ │ Public / Committed │ Private / Ignored │ │ (Tracked in Git) │ (Never in Git) │ ├───────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┤ │ .env │ .env.local │ │ .env.development │ .env.development.local │ │ .env.production │ .env.production.local │ │ │ .env.default.local ◄─── │ └───────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘ The Role of .env.default.local
The .env.default file serves as the for all configuration options available in your application. Here's why this approach is superior to traditional methods: : Files meant strictly for the local machine
API_ENDPOINT=http://localhost:3000/api LOG_LEVEL=debug
For applications that run in multiple environments (development, staging, production), environment-specific files provide an additional layer of configuration. While it isn't a "standard" file automatically recognized
# Local overrides for development DATABASE_URL=postgres://localhost:5432/myapp_dev API_KEY=sk_test_local_development_key LOG_LEVEL=debug ENABLE_DEBUG_MODE=true
: If this configuration is essential for others, create a .env.default.local.example file with empty values so teammates know what to fill in.
What (e.g., Node.js, Next.js, Symfony, Python) are you building with? Are you using Docker for your local development workflow?