Encyclopedia / Backend

Environment variables & secrets

Configuration and keys kept outside the code.

API keys, database URLs and tokens live in the host's settings, not in the repository. Anything bundled into front-end JavaScript is public. If a key appears in the browser's network tab, anyone can use it.

# .env (never committed)
DATABASE_URL=postgres://…
RESEND_API_KEY=re_…

Related terms

Serverless function Security headers

More in Backend

Code and data that run on a server instead of in the visitor's browser.

API Database Authentication Third-party services Webhook

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