.env

/ˌdɒt ˈenv/ (standard English pronunciation for the file extension)

A plain text file format used to store environment variables for software applications

I added my database API key to the .env file so it wouldn't be hard-coded in my project.

我把我的数据库API密钥添加到了.env文件中，这样就不会把它硬编码到我的项目里了。

Etymology

The term is a shortened combination of "dot" (referring to the leading period in the filename, standard for hidden files on Unix-like operating systems) and "environment", referencing its core purpose of storing environment configuration data.

Cultural Notes

.env files are standard across nearly all modern software development stacks, including JavaScript/Node.js, Python, Ruby, and PHP. They are treated as hidden files on macOS and Linux systems due to the leading period, and are explicitly excluded from version control via standard .gitignore templates.

Memory Aid

Think of "dot" for the leading hidden file period, and "env" as a quick shorthand for "environment" — this file holds all your app's environment setup details away from your main code.

Collocations

dotenv packagegitignore .envenvironment variableshardcode secretsload .env

Synonyms

environment configuration fileenv file

Antonyms

public configuration filehard-coded values

Related Words

dotenvgitignoreenvironment variableAPI keyconfiguration file

Chinese

环境变量文件dotenv文件隐藏配置文件