# .env.local.staging DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@staging-host:5432/staging_database
As software becomes more interconnected through APIs and cloud services, the management of secrets becomes increasingly precarious. The .env.local file provides a simple yet robust mechanism for maintaining this security boundary. By keeping local secrets local, developers can focus on building features with the peace of mind that their most sensitive data remains behind closed doors. Installation Guide - Studley AI - Mintlify .env.local
| Feature | Description | | :--- | :--- | | | Highest. Overrides .env , .env.development , .env.production , etc. | | Version Control | Explicitly excluded (must be in .gitignore ). | | Typical Use Cases | Local API keys, different local backend URLs, feature flags, overridden ports. | | Environment | Local development only. Should not exist in build containers or production. | Installation Guide - Studley AI - Mintlify |
is designed to be machine-specific and is almost always excluded from version control via .gitignore Key Strengths Security by Design | | Typical Use Cases | Local API
While you might have a generic .env file for defaults or a .env.production file for build outputs, .env.local is intended for environment variables that are specific to and should never be shared with the team or committed to version control.
, this file is used to override default settings specifically for your local development environment.