Each developer copies the local template to create their private instance. Edit .env.local Add actual passwords or API keys that should not be shared. Best Practices Load .envrc.local, .envrc.dist · Issue #556 - GitHub
In many projects, the .env.dist file contains values intended for a production-like environment or strict security defaults. However, a local development environment often requires looser settings. .env.dist.local
This reduces cognitive load: "Just copy .env.dist.local to .env.local and everything works." Each developer copies the local template to create
To master .env.dist.local , you must understand the precedence order used by frameworks like Symfony's Dotenv component. .env.dist.local acts as a middleman
The idea behind .env.dist.local is to create a template file that contains default values for environment variables, which can then be overridden by a .env.local file. This approach provides several benefits:
DB_HOST=localhost DB_USERNAME=DB_USERNAME DB_PASSWORD=DB_PASSWORD API_KEY=API_KEY
In some specialized DevOps workflows, .env.dist.local acts as a middleman, allowing automated scripts to generate a final .env.local based on a mix of project requirements and developer-specific preferences. Best Practices