.env.python.local Jun 2026

In your Python code (using python-dotenv ):

that contains actual keys (like your local version) is listed in your .gitignore Use Templates : Always provide a .env.example so teammates know which variables (like DATABASE_URL ) they need to define locally. Process Managers : Some experts recommend letting a process manager (like .env.python.local

Initialize it at the very top of your entry point (like main.py or manage.py ) to ensure all subsequent modules can access the variables. In your Python code (using python-dotenv ): that