

In the terminal run the above command, it will generate a package.json file in that directory with the default configuration settings. Open your terminal window inside a directory where you want to create your Node.js project. You can generate a package.json file using the following command. To set up a Node.js project first you have to create a packeage.json file. Therefore, even if anyone gets access to your source code, they will not have those data. It is also much more secure because sensitive data will be stored in the operating system environment, not in your code.
Nodejs environment variables code#
You will be able to use the same source code in both situations. In this way, you don't need to edit your source code in development and production.

You can do this by using different environment variables. During development, your program might use a test database but in the production environment, it will use the main database. It also provides a secure way to store sensitive data rather than putting that information directly in the source code.įor example, you can use different databases or accounts for different instances of a program by setting environment variables. Why Should You Use Environment Variables?Įnvironment variables allow setting values that are used by processes in different environments like development or production. That means, to set an environment variable you have to define a key with a value assigned to it. In simple terms, Environment variables are managed and stored by an operating system so that any program can use access them.Īn environment variable is made up of a key-value pair format. What are Environment Variables?Įnvironment variables are values that are set outside the program and they directly affect the way running processes behave in a computer. So, keeping it out of the way let's get started. I try to explain everything in detail so that it becomes easy for you. Basic knowledge of JavaScript and Node.js to create a server.Access to a package manager like npm or yarn.But to understand this lesson properly, you should have the following: In this article, I will walk you through every step so that you can set and use environment variables in Node.js applications with ease.Īfter reading this, you will not face any problems on this topic. That's why new developers don't want to use them in their projects. In the beginning, it seems difficult to use environment variables. Most of the time new developers write their important information like database credentials, API keys, etc directly inside the source code.
Nodejs environment variables how to#
That's why knowing how to set up and use them properly is a very important skill to have for every developer. Environment variables in Node.js are used to safely store sensitive information for an application.
