You should never store sensitive credentials in your code. Storing
configuration in the environment is one of
the tenets of a twelve-factor app. Anything that is
likely to change between deployment environments – such as database credentials
or credentials for 3rd party services – should be extracted from the
code into environment variables.
Basically, a .env file is an easy way to load custom configuration
variables that your application needs without having to modify .htaccess
files or Apache/nginx virtual hosts. This means you won't have to edit
any files outside the project, and all the environment variables are
always set no matter how you run your project - Apache, Nginx, CLI, and
even PHP 5.4's built-in webserver. It's WAY easier than all the other
ways you know of to set environment variables, and you're going to love
it.
NO editing virtual hosts in Apache or Nginx
NO adding php_value flags to .htaccess files
EASY portability and sharing of required ENV values
COMPATIBLE with PHP's built-in web server and CLI runner
chekun
commented
8 years ago
Why .env?
You should never store sensitive credentials in your code. Storing configuration in the environment is one of the tenets of a twelve-factor app. Anything that is likely to change between deployment environments – such as database credentials or credentials for 3rd party services – should be extracted from the code into environment variables.
Basically, a
.envfile is an easy way to load custom configuration variables that your application needs without having to modify .htaccess files or Apache/nginx virtual hosts. This means you won't have to edit any files outside the project, and all the environment variables are always set no matter how you run your project - Apache, Nginx, CLI, and even PHP 5.4's built-in webserver. It's WAY easier than all the other ways you know of to set environment variables, and you're going to love it.php_valueflags to .htaccess files