Read environment variables from process.env. Node.js can load a file of KEY=value pairs at startup with --env-file=file; the --env-file-if-exists variant does the same without throwing when the file is missing. Keep env files carrying secrets out of version control and treat missing required variables as a startup error; both practices are Koskamo editorial guidance, not Node.js requirements. Scope: current Node.js LTS. Reviewed October 4, 2026.
Environment configuration with process.env and --env-file
Document v1 · published by Koskamo editorial · updated 2026-10-04
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- nodejs.org
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- Koskamo editorial
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- Document v1
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