env-setup

$npx mdskill add Tibsfox/gsd-skill-creator/env-setup

Manage environment configuration and secrets securely across projects.

  • Prevents accidental exposure of secrets in version control.
  • Relies on .env files, .gitignore, and validation libraries like Zod.
  • Enforces non-negotiable rules like never committing .env to git.
  • Generates .env.example templates and validates config at startup.

SKILL.md

.github/skills/env-setupView on GitHub ↗
---
name: env-setup
description: Environment configuration and secrets management. Use when setting up .env files, managing secrets, or configuring environments.
type: skill
category: patterns
status: stable
origin: tibsfox
modified: false
first_seen: 2026-02-07
first_path: examples/env-setup/SKILL.md
superseded_by: null
---
# Environment Configuration

## Non-Negotiable Rules

| Rule | Why |
|------|-----|
| NEVER commit .env to git | Secrets persist in history forever |
| NEVER log secret values | Logs stored in plain text, forwarded |
| NEVER hardcode secrets | Source code is widely shared |
| ALWAYS use .env.example | Documents vars without exposing values |
| ALWAYS add .env* to .gitignore FIRST | Prevents accidental commit |
| ALWAYS validate config at startup | Fail fast, not hours into production |

## .gitignore (add before creating .env)

```gitignore
.env
.env.*
!.env.example
*.pem
*.key
credentials.json
```

## Naming Conventions

- UPPER_SNAKE_CASE: `DATABASE_URL`, `JWT_SECRET`
- Prefix by service: `DB_`, `REDIS_`, `AWS_`
- Booleans: `ENABLE_CACHE=true` (not 1/yes)
- Feature flags: `FEATURE_*`

## Key Patterns

- **No defaults for secrets** — force explicit configuration
- **Validate at startup** with Zod/Joi/Pydantic, not at first use
- **Unique secrets per environment** — one leak shouldn't compromise all
- **Rotate leaked secrets immediately** — check git history, audit access logs
- **Process env always wins** — CI/CD overrides file-based config

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