Run Anywhere
dotenvx works the same across every language, framework, and platform – inject your env at runtime with dotenvx run -- your-cmd.
Multiple Environments
Create a .env.production file and use dotenvx run -f .env.production to load it. It's straightforward, yet flexible.
Encryption
Add encryption to your .env files with a single command. Run dotenvx encrypt.
#/ public-key encryption for .env files /
#/ [how it works](https://dotenvx.com/encryption) /
#/------------------------------------------------------/
DOTENV_PUBLIC_KEY="026d4945b6513baec60f68b207f203ba534fb54d2b0c9952557d240815e42a7d83"
# Database configuration
DB_HOST="encrypted:BMO83g2fEtr66gcFvUs2+/ZuccCQuBbZwSW3JfCLvoUiACmusxCbTfG2dvc2LxenPhUtgWapO8f9BCcBVAcTnMcrd3kndvk+acWytRjIWRUvsSezdD340/OT5EQgbqJtwXfuRz0i2t8PVA=="
DB_PORT="encrypted:BGcRf5bK/mChGEqT1MZ8hUbMm3hhtuW9NVGkHtl7KRwqbSKnVcGIDs9T61u77DlyNlYcF1BlLCw9HPmbRQ0nFvLOCZc6r42iRE4OyJw9mu61OjlWQfEl5Z1NrjZw5g0d1tp8New="
DB_USER="encrypted:BBrXv55qxgA19sEqqNnZzS/C0WguVk6ROQmfxnGhBhafLoc0XwpKprk/J3hJCVq7s45WyBSXGUz9U9rHxCBeVkl27WFzzgZkDewX0gBLt+Cc37K0EVU2hZ1GPbax5mzpI5Jwwi65be6+"
DB_PASSWORD="encrypted:BC8aRBQ/Q2YMPjJayggqVN8skqTtxtXFgYA0e8/Ud/Jcez2Daukr6edBmEWQdz/Lu91casaW6CkkCvLSQkPvNpmgYqFB4BKHTUDowX/KEDvVI6CU5Vt478VF5dqHbvPIoKKtBe+4FNXlk5O96A=="
DB_NAME="encrypted:BL0icNnZh6InVmymJBCX6MuL6cwgVc4v1ua1g1XONlV7nkzzHHHpnZN3khx7+ld15bd88EtV4DfqUV2eJ/HJwu0/5F1MH+PAisYSRxBQo8I9AHly2sRsonBm3Bji+DslcC4D7b7wLTBlfCw="
# API Keys
API_KEY="encrypted:BCrnJ2sAZH2qwRlPvUqqWyEsd+cVeMQiOV5H/xZ7vjFfcMXHMunmAv/7+jUI356fkVtHfrXu+vBJLjXJiirgB2gky5vvy7h5jevgMS6BgPL5KwjC0tYPlYbe4Bfrf1funYqqrFYaPjsEO+77vCtVaBPz"
STRIPE_API_KEY="encrypted:BOD5Fg+qI9dqhkh+gjCLrTFyhxEAhNDtLgwjkMZOr9l9CsvvhprwCrgsZbIRIFa1Vf6ATnWZ3/bacYnlBXlZ1Hc6YMZHog+ZuVW4AjwxCkB8I0AkcOeOsYzQx2fdtI4kFii01UIhN53jfmUjzLSPYw=="
# Email Configuration
EMAIL_HOST="encrypted:BMVEIPBGe9xkELFb48KQJPxxnTkUGhsonAU4ug5ca9E5eD/MZimkoQrf/3cb9nhazwfTbScLgeGGr/Jhj4DV7Xpz45XEEFWrPXy1Yi93zWLaJ4XYBHwCke3b4XCbh7jV4uL3WWFjI757yTIS6ilD"
EMAIL_USER="encrypted:BB15pCJmnrb1Jvy5nnyB5F7tYNYiGsqvY6ZORRz4iSw69WJBHk5S9F2ILpI+vqrlFjr3+ZzWI9sc1vIB8t1RvYUHzEdlNCbn5Bhzf9f9+SlTQt6yVUshTZVTA56f7HN3x4+AvVrzpxNoci80r2lwRkltfYM="
EMAIL_PASSWORD="encrypted:BIgpV7btyiGYyySYnG3+NJVGUzNzB4zWjIZbM/VgtnPuiuSsK/KBkirtqkDBI8U/04BRKtupOTNSJTVu6GO39XPSpPvlxA4fNRyeK85W+rFGARp4mrgqfEz/O/eZvqJSqS5kNraAhbkKpXq81rEOBg=="
# Logging
LOG_LEVEL="encrypted:BKzfW56VHobMDtfq+iU+MsjVlPDdiKYoJmKLMlUKzsds5dHWjY+GcKbUx7V54jX21kVa6kuBcINNmP/DwXZA2VSb6q8zhMU/Go59aQWqmoqip6jB8DTxc8GjxUF4lWO3PLWJqk8="
Read the Whitepaper
Dotenvx: Reducing Secrets Risk with Cryptographic Separation
Abstract. An ideal secrets solution would not only centralize secrets but also contain the fallout of a breach. While secrets managers offer centralized storage and distribution, their design creates a large blast radius, risking exposure of thousands or even millions of secrets. We propose a solution that reduces the blast radius by splitting secrets management into two distinct components: an encrypted secrets file and a separate decryption key.
10x. better.
Increased tooling and features to make dotenv 10x better.
Run anywhere
Cross-platform–works everywhere
Multi-environment
Switch environments easily
Encrypted envs
Encrypt your envs for deploy
Variable expansion
Add the value of another variable in your .env
Multiple .env files
Compose multiple .env files flexibly
Multi-line values
Add multi-line secrets like public keys
Debug
Debug server and local envs with built-in debugging
Contextual help
Built-in next steps when something goes wrong
Append .gitignore
Append to .gitignore in one command
Generate .env.example
Generate .env.example in one command
Prebuild
Prevent building .env files into docker images
Precommit
Prevent committing .env files to code
Personal envs
Set personal environment variables
Command substitution
Add the output of a command in your .env
Scan
Scan and protect for secrets
Get/Set
Conveniently get/set single variables
Monorepo
First-class monorepo support
Sharing
betaSecurely share envs across your team
From the creator of dotenv. Trusted by millions of developers worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
-
Dotenvx uses Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) to encrypt each secret with a unique ephemeral key, while ensuring it can be decrypted using a long-term private key.
When you initialize encryption, a DOTENV_PUBLIC_KEY (encryption key) and DOTENV_PRIVATE_KEY (decryption key) are generated. The DOTENV_PUBLIC_KEY is used to encrypt secrets, and the DOTENV_PRIVATE_KEY is securely stored in your cloud secrets manager or .env.keys file.
Your encrypted .env file is then safely committed to code. Even if the file is exposed, secrets remain protected since decryption requires the separate DOTENV_PRIVATE_KEY, which is never stored alongside it. Read the whitepaper for more details.
-
Yes. Dotenvx encrypts secrets using AES-256 with ephemeral keys, ensuring that even if the encrypted .env file is exposed, its contents remain secure. The encryption keys themselves are protected using Secp256k1 elliptic curve cryptography, which is widely used for secure key exchange in technologies like Bitcoin.
This means that every secret in the .env file is encrypted with a unique AES-256 key, and that key is further encrypted using a public key (Secp256k1). Even if an attacker obtains the encrypted .env file, they would still need the corresponding private key—stored separately—to decrypt anything.
Breaking this encryption would require brute-forcing both AES-256 and elliptic curve cryptography, which is computationally infeasible with current technology. Read the whitepaper for more details. -
In the CircleCI breach the attacker accessed environment variables only. They could not access codebases. To steal your encrypted .env secrets, an attacker needs need both – the private decryption key AND the encrypted .env files.
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Send us an email at [email protected] team. We'd love to hear from you.