Bolt
deployment
Environment Variables Not Loading - Undefined in Build
Environment variables are undefined in your deployed application even though they're set in the platform. API keys, database URLs, and other config values come back as undefined.
Variables work fine locally but disappear after deployment.
Error Messages You Might See
process.env.API_KEY is undefined
Fetch failed - API_URL is null
TypeError: Cannot read property 'split' of undefined
Common Causes
- Using process.env.VAR instead of NEXT_PUBLIC_VAR for client-side access
- Environment variables set after build completes
- Wrong environment selected in deployment platform (staging vs production)
- Variable name mismatch between code and platform settings
- Quotes or special characters in env var value causing parsing issues
How to Fix It
For client-side vars: prefix with NEXT_PUBLIC_ (e.g., NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL)
For server-side only: use plain process.env.PRIVATE_VAR (won't leak to browser)
Set env vars BEFORE triggering redeploy in your platform
Test locally: create .env.local with same vars and run npm run build
Real developers can help you.
Omar Faruk
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Bastien Labelle
Full stack dev w/ 20+ years of experience
Prakash Prajapati
I’m a Senior Python Developer specializing in building secure, scalable, and highly available systems. I work primarily with Python, Django, FastAPI, Docker, PostgreSQL, and modern AI tooling such as PydanticAI, focusing on clean architecture, strong design principles, and reliable DevOps practices. I enjoy solving complex engineering problems and designing systems that are maintainable, resilient, and built to scale.
PawelPloszaj
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zipking
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10 years as fullstack developer
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Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between .env and .env.local?
.env is version controlled, .env.local is git-ignored. Use .env.local for secrets locally
How do I set env vars in Vercel?
Settings > Environment Variables. Make sure you set them before deploying
Should secrets use NEXT_PUBLIC_?
NO! Use NEXT_PUBLIC_ only for public values. Secrets stay as plain process.env.VAR and are only available on server