DevelopmentProgrammingTechnology

Environment Variables in Environment Variables in NodeJs: The complete Guide

Evelyn Sage
October 07, 2023 0 Comments

On this article we’re going to cowl atmosphere variables also called env variables. These are principally key-value pair of knowledge set that’s saved within the working system stage

On this article we are going to find out about atmosphere variables in NodeJs with examples

  • What are Setting variables
  • Why are env variables are necessary
  • Conditions for the challenge
  • Putting in NodeJs and organising a brand new Mission
  • Initializing your first env variable with NodeJS
  • env variables in API calling / async duties
  • env variables in Database operations / async duties
  • Superior env variable manipulation in Node JS: Encoding, Validation and sort conversion
  • Secrets and techniques administration and Safety Finest Practices with examples
  • Widespread Pitfalls and learn how to keep away from them
  • Conclusion



Setting Variables

Setting variables are a key-value pair knowledge set which might be avaiable on the working system stage. These knowledge set can be found in all main working system command line shells Home windows, Mac and Linux



Why are env variable necessary?

  • Separation of issues
  • Safety
  • Portability
  • Scalability
  • Compatibility
  • Interoperability



Conditions for this Mission

On this challenge we’re going to assume the next

  1. Primary data of NodeJs
  2. Primary Data of JavaScript
  3. Some data of Backend growth



Putting in Node and organising the challenge

These are totally different strategies of putting in NodeJS in your machine. You possibly can go to the node official web site and obtain a model from there

Allow us to contemplate putting in nodejs in a linux working system ideally ubuntu

Step 1: Open your terminal

Step 2: Use curl or wget script beneath to put in nvm utilizing the nvm git repository. run the script to put in the nvm

curl -o- https://uncooked.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/set up.sh | bash
# OR
wget -qO- https://uncooked.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/set up.sh | bash
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Step 3: Shut and re-open your terminal and run the next to use the script

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Step 4: Affirm Set up

You possibly can verify that NVM has been put in in your system by operating the next command

nvm --version
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

*Step 5 : * Putting in Node

sort the beneath command to put in the newest model of node

nvm set up newest
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

or

nvm set up --lts
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Step 6 Setting the default model

you’ll be able to set a default model of node for use throughout your system through the use of the next command

nvm alias default 20.8.0
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Step 6: Checking if node is put in

you’ll be able to sort the beneath command to test if the node is put in in your system

node -v # tells you the present model of node in your system. In our case it's 20.8.0
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Initializing the challenge

Now, that we’ve got put in the node on our machine. Allow us to create a brand new challenge the place we shall be utilizing the env variable

create a brand new listing and title it env-demo and cd into the listing

mkdir env-demo
cd env-demo
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Now, that we’ve got created the folder and cd into it. Kind the beneath command to initialize a brand new challenge and fill out the fields as you see match.

npm init
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode 

package deal title: (env-demo) 
model: (1.0.0) 
description: 
entry level: (index.js) 
check command: 
git repository: 
key phrases: 
creator: 
license: (ISC)
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

this may create a package deal.json file for you that appears one thing like this:

{
  "title": "env-demo",
  "model": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "predominant": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "check": "echo "Error: no check specified" && exit 1"
  },
  "creator": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Initializing your first env variable: Step By Step

Step 1: Set up the dotenv package deal

Now that you’ve initialized the challenge within the above part and created a package deal.json file. In your terminal sort the beneath command to put in the node dotenv package deal that’s used to create env recordsdata

npm set up dotenv --save
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

It will set up the dotenv package deal and reserve it as a dependency in your package deal.json file. that ought to look one thing like this

{
  "title": "env-demo",
  "model": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "predominant": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "check": "echo "Error: no check specified" && exit 1"
  },
  "creator": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "dependencies": {
    "dotenv": "^16.3.1"
  }
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Step 2 Create the .env file

  • In your root folder create a brand new file and title it .env.
  • Open your .env file in your textual content editor and create some key-value pairs. These are your atmosphere variable. I’ve created some in your reference beneath
DATABASE_URL=sample-database-url
PORT=3000
SECRET_KEY=mysecretkey
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Image description



Step 3 Load and skim the env variables

In your root folder create an index.js file after which open your terminal and sort the beneath command to put in categorical js.

npm set up categorical --save
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

This installs expressjs and saves it as a dependency in your package deal.json file, your package deal.json seems like this

{
  "title": "env-demo",
  "model": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "predominant": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "check": "echo "Error: no check specified" && exit 1"
  },
  "creator": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "dependencies": {
    "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
    "categorical": "^4.18.2"
  }
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

and your challenge construction seems like this

Image description

Now, open your index.js file and sort the beneath command to start out a easy net server.

const categorical = require('categorical');
const app = categorical();
const port = 4000;  // defaults to 4000

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.ship('Howdy World!')
  })

app.hear(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server operating on http://localhost:${port}/`);
});
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

run the code with

node index.js
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

and go to localhost://4000 to get the hi there world

Image description



loading and studying the .env file

Now that we’ve got the server operating allow us to learn the .env file that we created within the earlier step and cargo the port particulars from the .env file

Open the index.js file and require the dotenv library there

require('dotenv').config()
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

now, you’ll be able to entry the .env file utilizing the method.env. Allow us to use the method.env to entry the port quantity in our index.js file


const categorical = require('categorical');
require('dotenv').config()
const app = categorical();
const port = course of.env.PORT || 4000;  // Learn from .env if not accessible then defaults to 4000

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.ship('Howdy World!')
  })

app.hear(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server operating on http://localhost:${port}/`);
});
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Now allow us to restart the server and go to localhost://3000 . As a substitute of operating at 4000 our server is now operating on port 3000 which it took from the .env file

you may also see this within the console

Image description

You have got now efficiently created and saved the env file in your machine

As one other instance you’ll be able to entry the DATABASE_URL like so

const dbUrl = course of.env.DATABASE_URL;
// Use dbUrl to hook up with your database
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Listed below are all of the recordsdata



index.js

const categorical = require('categorical');
require('dotenv').config()
const app = categorical();
const port = course of.env.PORT || 4000;  // Learn from .env if not accessible then defaults to 4000

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.ship('Howdy World!')
  })

app.hear(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server operating on http://localhost:${port}/`);
});
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



package deal.json

{
  "title": "env-demo",
  "model": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "predominant": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "check": "echo "Error: no check specified" && exit 1"
  },
  "creator": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "dependencies": {
    "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
    "categorical": "^4.18.2"
  }
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



.env

DATABASE_URL=sample-database-url
PORT=3000
SECRET_KEY=mysecretkey
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Tips on how to use env variables in async duties

On this part we’re going to focus on about how env variables can be utilized in async duties like calling an API or database operations

Env variables are particularly necessary in these duties, as a result of they can be utilized to retailer credentials and endpoints securely

Additionally, these variables may be automated as a result of these change between totally different atmosphere similar to growth, staging and manufacturing.



Step 1 Organising the env variables

open your .env file and edit it like this

API_URL=https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/todos/1
API_KEY=sfjks4325
PORT=3000
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Step 2 utilizing async / await with env variables

Subsequent, set up the axios library to make calls to the distant server like

npm set up axios --save
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

this may set up the axios and reserve it as a dependency in your package deal.json file

the package deal.json file ought to look one thing like this

{
  "title": "env-demo",
  "model": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "predominant": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "check": "echo "Error: no check specified" && exit 1"
  },
  "creator": "",
  "license": "ISC",
  "dependencies": {
    "axios": "^1.5.1",
    "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
    "categorical": "^4.18.2"
  }
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Subsequent use the axios to make calls to the jsonplaceholder web site and log them to the console

Kind this code in your index.js file

const categorical = require('categorical');
require('dotenv').config();
const axios = require('axios');
const app = categorical();
const port = course of.env.PORT || 4000;  // Learn from .env if not accessible then defaults to 4000

const fetchData = async () => {
  const url = course of.env.API_URL;
  const apiKey = course of.env.API_KEY;

  strive {
    const response = await axios.get(url, {
      headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}` }
    });
    console.log(response.knowledge);
  } catch (error) {
    console.error(`Error fetching knowledge: ${error}`);
  }
};


app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  fetchData()
    res.ship('Howdy World!')
  })

app.hear(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server operating on http://localhost:${port}/`);
});
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



What are we doing right here:

  1. We’re importing the modules like categorical, dotenv, axios
  2. Then we’re initalizing the app and the port utilizing the env variables
  3. then we’re creating the async operate referred to as const fetchData = async ()=> (…)
  4. On this operate we’re utilizing the url and the apiKey from the .env file. Although I’ve to say you do not want apiKey to name the jsonplaceholder web site. I’ve simply put that key there for demo functions
  5. we’re logging the information to the console
  6. We’re calling the fetchData() technique on the get route. So, each time somebody goes to the / the strategy will get referred to as and the information will get logged to the console.



Utilizing Async/await with env variables in Database operations

Allow us to have a look at one other instance, this time we’re going to do database operations with env variables

step 1 arrange the env variables

Open the .env file in your textual content editor and sort the next

DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PORT=5432
DB_NAME=mydatabase
DB_USER=username
DB_PASSWORD=password
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Step 2: Set up the pg library

subsequent step is to put in the pg library like so

npm set up pg --save
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



*Step 3: * Connect with the database and make the async question with .env file

write the next code to hook up with the database and use the .env credentials that we simply created

const { Pool } = require('pg');
require('dotenv').config();

const pool = new Pool({
  host: course of.env.DB_HOST,
  port: course of.env.DB_PORT,
  database: course of.env.DB_NAME,
  consumer: course of.env.DB_USER,
  password: course of.env.DB_PASSWORD
});

const fetchUsers = async () => {
  strive {
    const res = await pool.question('SELECT * FROM customers');
    console.log(res.rows);
  } catch (err) {
    console.error(`Error fetching customers: ${err}`);
  }
};

fetchUsers();
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

we aren’t integrating this instance into our common codebase as a result of it’s an outlier and won’t be helpful additional down the road in our tutorial



Superior env variable manipulation in Node JS: Encoding, Validation and sort conversion

There’s extra to env variable than simply studying and storing them. With superior env variable manipulation we’re going to find out about

  • Encoding
  • Validation and
  • Kind conversion



1. Encoding:

Encoding is used for numerous functions in atmosphere variables. This might be used for safety puposes. The preferred sort of encoding is completed utilizing the base64



Encoding

const decodedData = Buffer.from(encodedData, 'base64').toString('utf-8');
console.log(`Decoded: ${decodedData}`);
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



2. Validation

validation is used to test whether or not the code is legitimate or not. for instance the url that you will use is legitimate url or not and so on

or as on this instance we’re checking whether or not the port quantity is throughout the specified vary or not

const validatePort = (port) => {
  const parsedPort = parseInt(port, 10);
  if (isNaN(parsedPort) || parsedPort < 1024 || parsedPort > 65535) {
    throw new Error('Invalid port quantity');
  }
  return parsedPort;
};

const port = validatePort(course of.env.PORT);
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



3. Kind conversion

env variables are at all times on the sort : string. If usually you could use different knowledge sorts as properly similar to int or booleans. Right here sort conversion helps

Integer instance

const isProduction = course of.env.NODE_ENV === 'manufacturing';
const retries = parseInt(course of.env.RETRIES, 10) || 3;
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode

Boolean instance

const shouldLog = course of.env.SHOULD_LOG === 'true';
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Mixture instance

Right here is an instance combining all of the superior env manipulation accessible within the env variables

// Encoding and decoding
const apiKey = Buffer.from(course of.env.API_KEY || '', 'base64').toString('utf-8');

// Validation
if (apiKey.size !== 32) {
  throw new Error('Invalid API key size');
}

// Kind conversion
const maxUsers = parseInt(course of.env.MAX_USERS, 10);
if (isNaN(maxUsers)) {
  throw new Error('MAX_USERS should be an integer');
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



Secrets and techniques Administration and Safety Finest Practices with examples

On this part we’re going to find out about secrets and techniques administration and finest practices with examples. Listed below are the steps you could take to safe the env variable together with their examples



1. By no means commit the .env recordsdata

At all times be sure that the .env recordsdata are within the gitignore so they’re by no means commited to the git repository

# Ignore dotenv atmosphere variables file
.env
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



2. Hashing password

at all times hash the passwords, storing the passwords as plain textual content is a nasty observe. You need to use libraries like bcryt and others to hash the passwords

const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
const saltRounds = 10;

async operate hashPassword(plainPassword) {
  const hash = await bcrypt.hash(plainPassword, saltRounds);
  return hash;
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



3. Encoding the env variables

As a safety measure at all times encode the secrets and techniques, the secrets and techniques are often base-64 encoded

const buffer = Buffer.from(course of.env.MY_SECRET, 'base64');
const decodedSecret = buffer.toString('utf-8');
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



4. Centralized secrets and techniques administration

for big initiatives you’ll be able to contemplate centralized secrets and techniques administration providers like hashicorp vault, AWS secrets and techniques supervisor and others

These provide superior options like secret rotation, automated lease and rotation and audit logging

right here is an instance with node vault

const vault = require("node-vault")({
  endpoint: "https://vault-endpoint",
  token: course of.env.VAULT_TOKEN,
});

async operate getDatabaseCreds() {
  const knowledge = await vault.learn("path/to/secret");
  return {
    consumer: knowledge.knowledge.username,
    password: knowledge.knowledge.password,
  };
}
Enter fullscreen mode

Exit fullscreen mode



5. Least privilege precept

At all times observe the precept of least privilege. The api which doesn’t require write credentials ought to by no means be given write privileges.



Widespread Pitfalls and Tips on how to keep away from them

  1. Hardcoding Delicate info
  2. Lack of validation
  3. Ignoring Environments
  4. Insufficient safety
  5. Poor Documentation
  6. Fallback defaults

Image description



Want Chat API in your web site or app

DeadSimpleChat is an Chat API supplier

  • Add Scalable Chat to your app in minutes
  • 10 Million On-line Concurrent customers
  • 99.999% Uptime
  • Moderation options
  • 1-1 Chat
  • Group Chat
  • Absolutely Customizable
  • Chat API and SDK
  • Pre-Constructed Chat



Conclusion

On this article we discovered about env variable and learn how to use them in NodeJs the entire information

We’ve coated the necessary subjects associated to env administration in NodeJs and this must be sufficient for many of the use-cases for env variables administration in Node js apps

I hope you appreciated the article and thanks for studying

source