Undefined process.env variable with dotenv and nodejs

Question

I have a problem with the dotenv package.

My application folder:

 |_app_folder
      |_app.js
      |_password.env
      |_package.json

I've of course install dotenv, but when i tried to log a process.env variables, the result is always undefined, please can you help me ?

password.env :

//password.env 
CLIENT_ID=xxxxxxxx

app.js :

//app.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const Twig = require("twig");

//Require dotenv
require('dotenv').config();

// Setting the Twig options
app.set("twig options", {
    allow_async: true, 
    strict_variables: false
});

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
  //Trying to log it
  console.log(process.env.CLIENT_ID);
  //
  res.render('index.twig', {
    date : new Date().toString()
  });
});

app.get('/instagram',function(req,res){
  // Building the URL
  let url = 'https://api.instagram.com/oauth/authorize/?client_id=';
  // Redirect to instagram for oauth 
  res.redirect(url);
})

app.listen(3000, function () {
  console.log('Running');
})

Thank you for your time.

Patrick Hollweck · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-28 18:24:42Z

15

By default the dotenv package does only load a file named .env if you want to load another file you need to specify the path

require("dotenv").config({ path: "path/to/file" })

Resources:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv

edited Aug 28, 2018 at 18:24

answered Aug 28, 2018 at 18:13

Patrick Hollweck

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5 Comments

thomasA Over a year ago

Thanks you i didn't know that, i replace the require with this one : require("dotenv").config(path.join(__dirname,'password.env')); but it still don't work

Patrick Hollweck Over a year ago

Try to log the path you are creating and check if it is correct

thomasA Over a year ago

i've did and it's the good one : /home/thomas/instagram-oauth-login/password.env

Patrick Hollweck Over a year ago

No problem, I messed that up! Sorry

Titou Over a year ago

As a complement I had a weird case where the .env file is not loaded either, and I had to add require("dotenv").config({path:".env"})

Gaurav Sharma · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-10 17:32:54Z

4

When using import instead of require. -

You can use -r (require) to preload dotenv. You do not need to require and load dotenv in your application code.

 $ node -r dotenv/config app.js

edited Dec 10, 2020 at 17:32

answered Sep 13, 2020 at 12:53

Gaurav Sharma

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Comments

lejlun · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-21 12:41:36Z

4

I was having somewhat the same problem for a while turns out you just have to put the .env file in the root of the directory (top-most level).

I know this post is old but I just want to make sure no one struggles with such a simple task again.

edited Aug 21, 2021 at 12:41

lejlun

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answered Aug 20, 2021 at 16:14

curtis Arrisol

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Comments

Surya · Accepted Answer · 2022-07-05 15:37:15Z

2

Even though I put the .env file in the root folder, still console.log(process.env.myKey) is undefined. The fix worked for me is I put the path to the env file in the require config itself like below. (It's in the root of the file - so "./.env)

require("dotenv").config({path:"./.env"})

answered Jul 5, 2022 at 15:37

Surya

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Comments

ShadowGames · Accepted Answer · 2022-09-19 11:52:47Z

2

Another important note:

Place your .env file in the root folder, not in /src

answered Sep 19, 2022 at 11:52

ShadowGames

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Comments

Maverick · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-17 10:13:03Z

0

Take into account (as in my case) that if the .env file is not UTF8 encoded like UTF16 in my case, you will always get undefined (Windows OS)

answered Sep 17 at 10:13

Maverick

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