managing-env-vars

Manages environment variables and security. Distinguishes between public and secret keys. Use when setting up project configuration or adding API keys.

SKILL.md

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Environment and Security Variables

When to use this skill

  • During project setup.
  • When adding new Appwrite services (Storage, Databases).
  • When deploying to production.

Workflow

  • Create .env.local for local development.
  • Distinguish between NEXT_PUBLIC_ (Client access) and secret keys (Server access).
  • Add .env* to .gitignore.
  • Use process.env.VARIABLE_NAME with fallback or validation.

Required Variables

  • NEXT_PUBLIC_APPWRITE_ENDPOINT: Your Appwrite API endpoint.
  • NEXT_PUBLIC_APPWRITE_PROJECT_ID: Your project ID.
  • APPWRITE_API_KEY: Secret key for server-side operations (DO NOT prefix with NEXT_PUBLIC).

Instructions

  • Leak Prevention: Never commit .env files.
  • Validation: Use a env.ts file with Zod to validate variables at runtime if possible.