Configuration of .env-variables in Node.js

readme.md

This is a custom setup that helps to set environment variables specified in an .env-file. This script utilizes dotenv module and allows to run it without specifying a path to the .env-file every time. (It's implied that this script is located in the same directory as the .env-file)

To use this module:

1. Install dotenv package:

npm i -S dotenv

2. Require this module in the beginning of a file and execute a function returned by this module:

require('./config.js')()

const express = require('express')
const app = express()

// etc.

Example of an .env-file:

# Variables that should not be seen in code
REMOTE_API_KEY=somekey
DATABASE_PASSWORD=thisismypassword

config.js

// Reqruire and execute this module in the beginning of every entry point of the application

const dotenv = require('dotenv')
let configured = false

module.exports = () => {
  // Quit if it's been already configured 
  if (configured) return

  // Otherwise configure and leave a note 
  dotenv.config({ path: '.env' })
  configured = true
}