How to Configure Environment Variables in Laravel (.env)

Environment variables are one of Laravel's most powerful features for managing configuration across different environments. The .env file allows you to configure your application without hardcoding values into your code, making your application more secure and portable across different environments.

What is the .env File?

The .env file (environment file) is a simple text file that stores configuration variables as key-value pairs. Laravel automatically loads these variables into the application's environment. This file is never committed to version control, keeping your sensitive data secure.

Basic .env Structure

Here's what a basic .env file looks like:

APP_NAME=Laravel
APP_ENV=local
APP_DEBUG=true
APP_URL=http://localhost

LOG_CHANNEL=stack

DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=laravel
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=

BROADCAST_DRIVER=log
CACHE_DRIVER=file
QUEUE_CONNECTION=sync
SESSION_DRIVER=file
SESSION_LIFETIME=120

Key Environment Variables Explained

Application Variables

APP_NAME

The name of your application.

APP_NAME=My Awesome App

APP_ENV

The current environment (local, development, staging, production).

APP_ENV=production

APP_DEBUG

Enable or disable debug mode.

APP_DEBUG=false  # Set to false in production

APP_URL

The base URL of your application.

APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com

Database Variables

DB_CONNECTION

The default database connection driver.

DB_CONNECTION=mysql

DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_DATABASE

Database connection details.

DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=my_laravel_app

DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD

Database credentials.

DB_USERNAME=app_user
DB_PASSWORD=your_secure_password

Cache Variables

CACHE_DRIVER

The cache storage driver.

CACHE_DRIVER=redis  # Options: file, redis, memcached, array

QUEUE_CONNECTION

The default queue connection driver.

QUEUE_CONNECTION=redis  # Options: sync, database, redis, beanstalkd, sqs

Session Variables

SESSION_DRIVER

The session storage driver.

SESSION_DRIVER=redis  # Options: file, cookie, database, redis, memcached

SESSION_LIFETIME

The session lifetime in minutes.

SESSION_LIFETIME=120

Mail Variables

MAIL_MAILER

The default mail driver.

MAIL_MAILER=smtp  # Options: smtp, sendmail, log, array, failover

MAIL_HOST, MAIL_PORT

SMTP server details.

MAIL_HOST=smtp.mailtrap.io
MAIL_PORT=2525

MAIL_USERNAME, MAIL_PASSWORD

SMTP authentication credentials.

MAIL_USERNAME=your_smtp_username
MAIL_PASSWORD=your_smtp_password

MAIL_ENCRYPTION

SMTP encryption type.

MAIL_ENCRYPTION=tls  # Options: null, tls, ssl

Security Variables

APP_KEY

The application encryption key.

APP_KEY=base64:your-generated-key-here

BROADCAST_DRIVER

The broadcasting driver for real-time features.

BROADCAST_DRIVER=redis  # Options: pusher, redis, log, null

Additional Services

REDIS_HOST, REDIS_PORT

Redis connection details.

REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
REDIS_PORT=6379

FILESYSTEM_DISK

The default filesystem disk.

FILESYSTEM_DISK=local  # Options: local, public, s3, ftp

Security Best Practices

1. Never Commit .env to Version Control

Add .env to your .gitignore file:

# .gitignore
.env
.env.backup
.env.*.local

2. Use Strong Passwords

Use complex passwords for database and service credentials.

3. Restrict File Permissions

Set proper permissions for your .env file:

chmod 600 .env

4. Use Different Values per Environment

Create different .env files for different environments.

# .env.local
APP_DEBUG=true

# .env.staging
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://staging.yourapp.com

# .env.production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_URL=https://yourapp.com

Accessing Environment Variables

Using env() Helper

The most common way to access environment variables:

<?php

// Basic usage
$dbHost = env('DB_HOST');

// With default value
$port = env('DB_PORT', 3306);

// With boolean conversion
$isDebug = env('APP_DEBUG', false);

Using Config Files

Configure settings in config files and access them globally:

// config/database.php
'connections' => [
    'mysql' => [
        'host' => env('DB_HOST', '127.0.0.1'),
        'port' => env('DB_PORT', 3306),
        'database' => env('DB_DATABASE'),
        'username' => env('DB_USERNAME'),
        'password' => env('DB_PASSWORD'),
    ],
],

// Usage elsewhere
$dbHost = config('database.connections.mysql.host');

Environment-Specific Configuration

Using Different Environment Files

You can have multiple .env files:

// .env
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false

// .env.local (local overrides)
APP_DEBUG=true

// .env.staging
APP_ENV=staging
APP_URL=https://staging.yourapp.com

Common Issues and Solutions

Environment Variables Not Loading

If .env variables aren't loading:

Check file permissions: chmod 600 .env

Value Not Changing After Update

Environment variables are cached. Clear the cache:

php artisan config:clear
php artisan cache:clear

Conclusion

Environment variables are essential for building secure, portable Laravel applications. By properly configuring your .env file, you can easily manage different environments, keep sensitive data secure, and maintain consistent configuration across your development team.

Remember these key points:

Never commit .env files to version control
Use strong, complex passwords
Set proper file permissions
Clear cache when updating variables
Use different configurations for different environments

With proper environment variable management, you'll build more secure and maintainable Laravel applications!

Happy coding! 🚀

How to Configure Environment Variables in Laravel (.env)