How to use nodemon with .env files?

Question

I am using an .env file to hold environment variables for the server. This works if I run the server with foreman start. But it doesn't work with nodemon.

I would like to use nodemon instead because it restarts automatically when you modify the server. How can I get nodemon to work with .env files?

I've been using .env files with [dotenv](https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv) package and really useful but I have a trouble if I change some variable on the .env file and restart the process (e.g. using rs command on console) any new changes on the .env file are not taken in account — rkmax, Nov 30 '15 at 14:56
There are implications with _watching_ .env file, which are documented in the FAQ: https://github.com/remy/nodemon/blob/master/faq.md#nodemon-doesnt-restart-on-env-change Some readers might come here because of friction from that. — febeling, Apr 09 '22 at 11:38

score 42 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 12 '19 at 05:50

42

Install dotenv npm i dotenv
Create .env file and your variables inside

Add the script to execute

"dev": "nodemon -r dotenv/config ./app/index.js " or
"start": "node -r dotenv/config ./app/index.js "

Run the app using npm run dev or npm run start

answered Mar 12 '19 at 05:50

Alex Montoya

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2

hmm, this did not seem to work for me when using Typescript with nodemon, or possibly in combination with extension `-e` flag. – cevaris Feb 11 '22 at 16:10

score 33 · Answer 2 · answered May 28 '12 at 21:20

33

I have a production Procfile with:

web: node web.js

So I have created a Procfile_dev file with:

web: nodemon web.js

And when I am at development environment I run:

$ foreman start -f Procfile_dev

It works like a charm and doesn't affect production.

answered May 28 '12 at 21:20

Danilo Cabello

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With Express the Procfile_dev would be: `web: nodemon ./bin/www` – Ludder Sep 26 '14 at 21:28

score 27 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 15 '12 at 00:03

27

You can get nodemon to directly use the .env with the following command

$: env $(cat .env) nodemon app.js

Be aware that you'll have to restart it if you make changes to .env and it won't like it if there are any spaces in your .env file.

answered Aug 15 '12 at 00:03

flipside

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There is a problem with this approach if any of your variables inside have JSON value. Example: `JSON={"a": "b"}`, because of doublecuotes escaping. – Kostanos Oct 24 '19 at 12:20

score 13 · Answer 4 · answered May 10 '16 at 11:09

13

With recent versions of Node (since io.js 1.6), you can pass it the -r flag to require a module on start. This lets you directly load .env by using nodemon's --exec:

nodemon --exec 'node -r dotenv/config'

This requires the npm package dotenv to be installed.

answered May 10 '16 at 11:09

Kara Brightwell

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Or just `nodemon -r dotenv/config`...? – Svish Mar 13 '19 at 22:42

Tom · Answer 5 · 2023-03-24T20:38:40.400

12

This will do it,

nodemon  -w . -w .env index.js

How it works:
"-w ." tells nodemon to watch the files in the current directory
"-w .env" tells nodemon to watch the .env file
"index.js" is just the file to run when changes occur (could be anything)

edited Mar 24 '23 at 20:38

answered May 13 '20 at 00:52

Tom

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score 8 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 27 '12 at 13:44

8

Place your local configuration variables in the .env file and run foreman along with nodemon using the following command

$ foreman run nodemon web.js

answered Sep 27 '12 at 13:44

Anuj

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This is a great solution since it also doesn't force you to have a `Procfile` if you don't want one. The alternative is to use the `start` [script section](https://www.npmjs.org/doc/misc/npm-scripts.html) in your `package.json` file, which gets used by `npm start` and `nodemon`. And if you use [Heroku](http://heroku.com) for production, it now generates a `Procfile` on deployment that uses `npm start` as well. – twistedstream Nov 21 '14 at 16:02

jens1101 · Answer 7 · 2023-06-27T08:35:37.027

In my case I'm using TypeScript and the .env file is used for development only. I wanted my code to be decoupled from the .env file and I didn't want to import 'dotenv/config' anywhere in my code. This is my solution:

My nodemon config:

{
  "watch": [
    "src",
    ".env"
  ],
  "ext": ".ts",
  "exec": "ts-node -r dotenv/config ./src/index.ts"
}

My NPM script:

"start:dev": "nodemon"

In this solution ts-node requires dotenv, which sets up the environment variables before the main app starts. This means that nowhere in my code do I need a import 'dotenv/config'. dotenv can become a dev dependency, and this also prevents dotenv to be loaded at all once the code is deployed.

Assuming you don't use nodemon in prod then you wouldn't have dotenv available though? — Jeremy, Feb 23 '23 at 08:54

score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 25 '14 at 22:52

3

Thread necromancy!

Use grunt-env to load environmental variables from your heroku config.

answered Jan 25 '14 at 22:52

amsross

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This helped me use my .env file in my Gruntfile.js. Exactly what I was looking for. – Will Lovett Nov 28 '14 at 23:16

score 3 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 22 '22 at 14:03

3

"scripts": {
    "start": "node -r dotenv/config src/server.js dotenv_config_path=dev.env dotenv_config_debug=true",
    "start:dev": "nodemon --exec \"npm start\""
  }

answered Mar 22 '22 at 14:03

MeVimalkumar

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score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Oct 31 '19 at 20:32

In Three steps

Creating the file on root folder > .env

# .env ======
PORT=5000
WHO_AM_I="Who Knows"

Install the dotenv
Run below command

"dev": "nodemon -r dotenv/config src/app.js"

You can access the your defined variables using > process.env.varible_name

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Mar 29 '21 at 15:13

If you want to run Typescript in nodemon and require a particular .env file with dotenv then you can do:

In package.json scripts:

"dev": "nodemon -r dotenv/config src/myApp.ts dotenv_config_path=/path/to/your/env/file",

And a line in nodemon.json to tell nodemon to use ts-node when encountering Typescript extensions:

"execMap": {"ts": "node -r ts-node/register"},

This is useful for using a development .env file say .env.development.local for local dev work and leave the main .env file for live production variables.

Voltrun · Answer 12 · 2020-03-12T14:14:42.780

1

Use the -w key to specify nodemon what to watch additionally.

"scripts": {
    "dev": "env-cmd nodemon -w app -w *.js -w .env server.js"
}

Don't forget rerun npm run dev

edited Mar 12 '20 at 14:14

answered Mar 12 '20 at 12:22

Voltrun

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score 1 · Answer 13 · answered May 06 '23 at 11:11

in package.json:

...
  "scripts": {
    ...
    "dev": "nodemon src/index.js -w . -w .env -e js,mjs,json,env",
    ...
  },
...

assuming index.js is located at ./src and .env file is located at root.

npm run dev now:

[nodemon] watching path(s): *.* .env
[nodemon] watching extensions: js,mjs,json,env

score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Sep 29 '13 at 16:54

0

Heroku Procfile

Change: web: node app.js to web: nodemon app.js

answered Sep 29 '13 at 16:54

iancrowther

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cmd · Answer 15 · 2020-05-29T03:12:33.760

0

To load the dotenv package and any declared .env vars into the environment, you can do the following:

nodemon -r dotenv/config myapp.js

edited May 29 '20 at 03:12

answered Mar 14 '20 at 01:14

cmd

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score 0 · Answer 16 · answered Jan 08 '23 at 14:21

0

I use cross-env for environments.

npm i cross-env

set package.json.

"start": "cross-env NODE_ENV=production node dist/app.js",
"dev": "cross-env NODE_ENV=dev nodemon --exec ts-node src/app.ts",

npm run start OR npm run dev

answered Jan 08 '23 at 14:21

imki123

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How to use nodemon with .env files?

16 Answers16

You can access the your defined variables using > process.env.varible_name

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