.env.local.production < UPDATED >

API_KEY=your_production_api_key_here API_SECRET=your_production_api_secret_here

, one must understand the standard priority of environment files. Most frameworks follow a hierarchy similar to this: .env.local : Overrides everything; used for personal local secrets. .env.[mode].local .env.production.local ) Mode-specific local overrides. .env.[mode] .env.production ) Mode-specific defaults. : The base defaults. .env.local.production file (sometimes formatted as .env.production.local .env.local.production

Environment files follow a hierarchy. Generally, frameworks prioritize local overrides to ensure that a developer's machine settings don't accidentally leak into shared repositories. .env.local.production

Always double-check your .gitignore to ensure *.local is included. Leaking production keys is a high-severity security risk. .env.local.production