.env.local.production Jun 2026

.env.local.production is a file that stores environment-specific variables for a production environment. It's a variation of the popular .env file, which is used to store environment variables for local development. The .local and .production suffixes indicate that this file is specific to the local production environment.

# .env.example DATABASE_URL="" STRIPE_SECRET_KEY="" NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL="" Use code with caution. 3. Restrict Local File Permissions

(Lowest priority: Default settings shared across the team) .env.local.production

Note: If you are using Vite, use the VITE_ prefix (e.g., VITE_API_URL ) instead of NEXT_PUBLIC_ . Security Best Practices

This comprehensive guide covers how .env.local.production fits into the environment variable hierarchy, when to use it, and how to manage it securely. The Environment Variable Hierarchy when to use it

Let's break down the anatomy:

Next.js has a very clear and documented loading order. The team at Vercel specifies the following order: process.env.DEBUG will be "false" .

When running next start , process.env.DEBUG will be "false" .

: STRIPE_SECRET_KEY=sk_live_... (Should only live in .env.local.production or your hosting provider's dashboard). 3. Maintain a .env.example File

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