: Enabling "debug mode" or experimental features only while building.
: Using a local development database rather than the live production database.
: Share a standard set of non-sensitive development variables with your team via a template (often called .env.example ). Common Use Cases .env.development
: Keep local development settings separate from production secrets.
: Credentials for sandbox environments or mock payment gateways (like Stripe’s test keys). Best Practices for Security and Efficiency Environment variables - Vercel : Enabling "debug mode" or experimental features only
: Avoid manually changing variables every time you move from writing code locally to deploying it.
In many frameworks like React , Vite, and Next.js, the build tools automatically look for a .env.development file when you run a local development command (such as npm run dev ). This allows you to: Common Use Cases : Keep local development settings
The .env.development file typically contains "safe" or local-only information. Key examples include: