Before understanding .env.development.local , we must understand the standard philosophy behind multi-environment configuration loading, popularized by libraries like , Create React App , Vite , and Next.js .
: Indicates that this file is machine-specific . It is intended to override other configurations just for your computer and should never be committed to version control. The Hierarchy: Who Wins? .env.development.local
# Create a file named .env.development.local and add: DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=pk_test_your_local_key_here Before understanding
Most frameworks require a server restart to pick up changes in .env files. Fix: Stop your development server ( Ctrl + C ) and start it again ( npm run dev ). The Hierarchy: Who Wins
File names starting with a dot ( . ) are hidden on Unix/Mac. On Windows, they work fine, but Git Bash or PowerShell may hide them by default. Use ls -Force or dir /a .
(via .env.schema.json )