Because the real .env is ignored, accidentally committing secrets becomes harder. The sample file contains no real credentials.
PORT=3000
: New contributors can simply run cp .env.sample .env and fill in the blanks rather than hunting through the source code for process.env calls. How to Create an Effective Sample File .env.sample
A question that often arises is: what is the difference between .env.sample and .env.example ? The answer is . Both are used for the exact same purpose—to provide a safe, version-controlled template for environment variables.
: Use obvious dummy data (e.g., your_api_key_here ) instead of real credentials. Because the real
A well-crafted .env.sample file should be highly readable and informative. It should include comments, grouped sections, and helpful default or dummy values.
A well-crafted .env.sample serves as living documentation for your application's configuration. Using comments above each variable, you can document what the variable does, what format it expects, and any constraints or defaults. When environment variables change, the sample file changes with the code. This keeps documentation synchronized with implementation, preventing outdated wikis or READMEs. How to Create an Effective Sample File A
# .env.sample DJANGO_SECRET_KEY=change-me-in-production DEBUG=on ALLOWED_HOSTS=localhost,127.0.0.1 DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///db.sqlite3