Automatically Generate .env.example from Your Code—No More Guesswork!

If you’ve ever joined a new project and found yourself asking,

“What environment variables do I need?”

…you know the frustration.

You open the repo, search for .env.example—if it even exists—only to find it outdated or missing. Now you’re digging …


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Ali nazari

If you’ve ever joined a new project and found yourself asking,

“What environment variables do I need?”

…you know the frustration.

You open the repo, search for .env.example—if it even exists—only to find it outdated or missing. Now you’re digging through the codebase, scanning for every process.env.SOMETHING just to figure out what to put in your .env file.

That’s where Spotenv comes in.

💡 Meet Spotenv

Spotenv is a tiny but powerful CLI tool that scans your source code, finds all your environment variable references, and automatically creates or updates a .env.example file.

It’s like having a smart assistant that keeps your environment variable documentation always up-to-date—without you lifting a finger.

“Spotenv is a small, practical CLI tool that scans your project source code to find environment variables and produces a .env.example file containing the discovered keys.”

⚡ Why Spotenv Matters

  • No more manual updates to .env.example
  • Perfect for onboarding—new developers get all the keys they need right away
  • Keeps secrets safe—no values, just the keys
  • Fits into your workflow—run it locally or in CI pipelines
  • Language/framework agnostic—works wherever you use process.env

🚀 Quick Start

Install Spotenv globally via npm:

npm install -g spotenv

Run it in your project root:

spotenv -d ./src

You’ll instantly get a fresh .env.example file:

DATABASE_URL=
API_KEY=
JWT_SECRET=

If you already have one, Spotenv will update it with any new variables it finds—keeping things tidy and current.

🛠 Example Workflow in a Team

  1. Before pushing code
    Run spotenv to ensure .env.example reflects all variables your code uses.

  2. On CI
    Add Spotenv to a CI step to automatically fail builds if .env.example is missing any variables.

  3. For open-source projects
    Give contributors a ready-to-use .env.example so they can start coding right away—no guesswork.

Where Spotenv Shines

  • Open-source repos → Boost contributor productivity
  • Microservice setups → Keep multiple .env.example files in sync
  • Large teams → End the “Which env vars are we missing?” Slack messages
  • Hackathons → Set up projects faster and focus on coding, not configs

Support the Project

If Spotenv saves you time or keeps your team sane, give it a star on GitHub 🌟

👉 Star Spotenv now

Your star not only supports the project but also helps more developers discover it. Contributions, feedback, and feature requests are always welcome!

Happy coding, and may your .env.example always be complete! 💻✨

Let’s connect!!: 🤝

LinkedIn
GitHub


This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Ali nazari


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Ali nazari | Sciencx (2025-08-15T04:04:19+00:00) Automatically Generate .env.example from Your Code—No More Guesswork!. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/08/15/automatically-generate-env-example-from-your-code-no-more-guesswork/

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