This .env config generator creates environment variable files with pre-populated service configurations. Select the services your project uses, choose a framework preset, and get a complete .env file with comments ready to fill in your credentials.
Framework Preset
Services
Database
Authentication
Cloud
Payments
AI / ML
App Basics
Output
.gitignore Snippet
How to Use the .env Config Generator
Environment variables are the standard way to configure applications across different environments without changing code. This .env config generator creates a complete, commented .env file for your project in seconds.
Step 1: Apply a Framework Preset
Choose your framework from the preset dropdown to pre-select the services most commonly used with that stack. Next.js selects PostgreSQL, NextAuth, and app config. Express.js selects PostgreSQL, JWT, and app config. Django selects PostgreSQL and SMTP. Laravel selects MySQL, Redis, and SMTP. You can add or remove services after applying a preset.
Step 2: Select Your Services
Check the boxes for each service your application integrates with. The generator creates a block of variables for each service with realistic example values and descriptive comments. For databases, it includes both the connection URL format and individual host/port/name fields. For API services, it includes all required keys.
Step 3: Choose .env vs .env.example
Switch between .env and .env.example mode using the radio buttons. The .env output uses realistic example values (like postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb) to remind you of the correct format. The .env.example output replaces values with safe placeholders like YOUR_POSTGRES_URL that are safe to commit to version control.
Step 4: Download and Set Up
Download the .env file and place it in your project root. Add .env to your .gitignore (the snippet is provided). Download the .env.example separately and commit it to your repository — this lets other developers know which variables to configure without exposing your credentials. Populate the actual values from your service dashboards (Stripe, AWS Console, etc.).
Security Best Practices
Generate random secrets for JWT_SECRET and similar fields using openssl rand -base64 32 in your terminal. Never reuse the same secret across environments. Use your hosting platform's secret management (Vercel Environment Variables, AWS Secrets Manager, Railway Variables) for production rather than uploading .env files directly.
FAQ
Is this .env generator free?
Yes, completely free with no account required. All generation runs locally in your browser — nothing is stored or transmitted.
What is a .env file?
A .env file stores environment variables — configuration values like database URLs, API keys, and secrets that your application reads at runtime. Keeping these separate from code lets you use different values in development, staging, and production without changing the codebase.
Should I commit my .env file to git?
Never commit your actual .env file to version control — it contains secrets. Instead, add .env to your .gitignore file and commit a .env.example file with placeholder values that shows which variables are needed without exposing real credentials.
What is the difference between .env and .env.example?
The .env file contains real values and is kept private. The .env.example file uses placeholder values like YOUR_API_KEY_HERE and is safe to commit. New developers clone the repo, copy .env.example to .env, and fill in their own credentials.
What is NODE_ENV used for?
NODE_ENV is a standard Node.js environment variable that indicates the runtime context. Common values are development, test, and production. Libraries like Express and React use it to enable/disable features like debug logging, source maps, and error details.
How do I load .env variables in my application?
For Node.js, use the dotenv package (npm install dotenv) and add require('dotenv').config() at the top of your entry file. For Python, use python-dotenv. Next.js, Create React App, and Vite load .env files automatically. For production servers, set variables directly via your hosting platform.
What services does it support?
The generator includes presets for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, JWT, NextAuth, Auth0, AWS, GCP, Azure, SendGrid, Resend, SMTP, Stripe, PayPal, OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, and common app variables like PORT and NODE_ENV.