Safe environment templates
Generate a .env.example file without exposing real secrets.
EnvLint turns a real environment file into a safe template by preserving required keys and replacing values with descriptive placeholders.
Document required keys
Keep variable names and comments so teammates know which values they need.
Remove real values
Replace passwords, URLs, tokens, and keys with placeholder text before committing.
Preserve context
Keep the structure of the original file without leaking environment-specific material.
Recommended workflow
- Paste a local
.envfile into EnvLint. - Review missing values, duplicates, and secret-like values.
- Copy the generated
.env.exampleoutput. - Commit the example file, not the real
.envfile.
.env.example questions
- Should .env.example contain production values?
- No. It should contain placeholders and documentation, not real production credentials.
- Why generate it from a real .env file?
- Generating from the real file reduces missing documentation because every current key is represented.