DOTENV

dotenv Module in Vint

The dotenv module in Vint is designed to load environment variables from a .env file into the application. This allows you to manage sensitive information such as API keys, database credentials, and other configuration values outside your codebase.

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Importing the dotenv Module

To use the dotenv module, import it as follows:

import dotenv

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Functions and Examples

1. Loading Environment Variables with load()

The load function loads environment variables from a .env file into the application's environment. This function should be called at the start of your application to ensure all the necessary environment variables are available.

Syntax:

load(filePath)

• filePath: The path to the .env file (relative or absolute).

Example:

import dotenv

dotenv.load(".env")

This loads the environment variables from the .env file located in the current directory.

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2. Accessing an Environment Variable with get()

After loading the environment variables, you can access specific variables using the get function. This function retrieves the value of a given environment variable by its name.

Syntax:

get(variableName)

• variableName: The name of the environment variable to retrieve.

Example:

import dotenv

dotenv.load(".env")
apiKey = dotenv.get("API_KEY")
print(apiKey)  // Expected output: The value of the "API_KEY" from the .env file

In this example, the value of the API_KEY environment variable is retrieved and printed.

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.env File Format

The .env file should contain key-value pairs of environment variables. Each line in the file represents a separate environment variable.

Example .env file:

API_KEY=your_api_key_here
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_USER=root
DB_PASS=password123

In this case, you would retrieve the value of API_KEY as shown in the previous example.

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Summary of Functions

Function	Description	Example Output
load(filePath)	Loads environment variables from the specified .env file.	No direct output, but environment variables are loaded.
get(variableName)	Retrieves the value of a specified environment variable.	The value of the variable (e.g., "your_api_key_here")

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The dotenv module is an essential tool for securely managing configuration settings in Vint applications. By keeping sensitive data in a .env file, you avoid hardcoding secrets into your source code, thus improving security and maintainability.