Laravel .env.example — Why It Matters and How to Use It Properly

The .env.example file in Laravel is more than a “sample config.” It’s the contract for how your application should be configured across all environments.

Instead of storing real secrets, it defines the shape of your configuration: which variables are required, which are optional, and what default values look like.

A clean .env.example makes onboarding fast, new developers simply run:

cp .env.example .env
php artisan key:generate

Then they fill in real credentials like DB passwords or API keys. Without this file, onboarding quickly becomes guesswork or “send me your .env,” which is a major security risk.

A good .env.example lists every environment key your app relies on.

For example:

APP_ENV=local
APP_DEBUG=true
DB_CONNECTION=mysql
DB_HOST=127.0.0.1
DB_DATABASE=your_database
DB_USERNAME=your_user
DB_PASSWORD=<your-local-password>

The values should always be placeholders — never real passwords, API tokens, or signed keys. One of the most dangerous mistakes is copying your real .env into .env.example and committing it. Secrets then live forever in Git history, forks, backups, and CI logs.

Keeping this file in sync with your codebase is key. If you introduce a new variable like REDIS_PREFIX or STRIPE_SECRET, it should appear in .env.example in the same pull request. Some teams even add simple boot-time validation to ensure required keys exist:

foreach (['APP_ENV', 'DB_HOST', 'DB_DATABASE'] as $key) {
    if (!env($key)) {
        throw new RuntimeException("Missing env variable: {$key}");
    }
}

Tools like secret managers (Vault, AWS Secrets Manager) inject real values at deploy time while .env.example remains the public template.

Handled correctly, .env.example becomes a reliable map of everything your app needs to run — predictable for developers, safe for Git, and essential for smooth onboarding and stable deployments.