Environment Variables Not Loading in Production
Environment variables are not being loaded correctly in production after Cursor reorganized your configuration management code. The application uses hardcoded values or incorrect env var names.
What worked in development now fails in deployed environments.
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- process.env.VAR_NAME with incorrect variable name (capitalization, underscores)
- Env variables loaded too late, after being used by initial code
- .env file referenced in code instead of using process.env
- Env loading library (dotenv) no longer called before main app code
- Variable names changed but deployment config not updated
How to Fix It
Load env early: require('dotenv').config() as first line. Use process.env.VAR_NAME not require('.env'). Add console.log for debugging but never commit sensitive values. Verify deployment has env vars set.
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Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How do I manage secrets?
Never commit secrets. Use deployment platform's secrets manager (Heroku config vars, AWS Secrets Manager) and reference with process.env.
How do I validate env vars?
On startup, check all required vars exist. Use schema validation library or simple if statements.