Laravel - Load different .env file

Question

I need to load a different .env file, named .env.test under certain conditions.

I attempted to do that through a middleware by adding

app()->loadEnvironmentFrom('.env.test');
Dotenv::create(base_path(), '.env.test')->overload();

to the bootstrap() method of Kernel.php. I also tried to create a dedicated middleware for this and load it as the first one in the web middleware group. But either way, it is loading the standard .env file.

It works if I do it in the /bootstrap/app.php file but I really don't want to put it there.

Do you want to load .env.test file instead of .env or both files? — HiKangg, Oct 02 '20 at 17:01
Have you made sure you aren't caching your configuration? https://laravel.com/docs/8.x/configuration#configuration-caching — miken32, Oct 02 '20 at 17:01
It will always load the `.env` file. You can load additional files using the code you've shared. I don't think you can choose a different .env file to load at the middleware stage though, the .env file has already been loaded at that point — apokryfos, Oct 02 '20 at 17:04
@apokryfos From what I understand, the dotenv overload() method should take care of that? — TheNiceGuy, Oct 02 '20 at 17:08
Overload *should* overwrite environment variables from your `.env.test` file that have already been loaded via the `.env` file (in addition to loading new variables that were not loaded before). Is that not working? — apokryfos, Oct 02 '20 at 17:09
@apokryfos: It depends how you look at it. It works if I access the environment variable inside of a controller. What I want to accomplish though, is to make sure that the .env.test file is used for the sessions, meaning that it should use the APP_KEY from the .env.test file instead of the default .env file — TheNiceGuy, Oct 02 '20 at 17:13
If I had to guess, I'd say the problem is that the application config is already generated by the time the middleware is run, as @apokryfos says. Nothing is pulling directly from the `.env` file except for things in the `config` directory. — miken32, Oct 02 '20 at 17:24

TheNiceGuy · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-02T21:56:24.853

I just figured it out: The default .env file is being loaded inside of the bootstrap() method of LoadEnvironmentVariables.php.

To use the .env.test file I had to restructure my initial bootstrap() method inside of the App/Http/Kernel.php file to look like this:

public function bootstrap() 
{
    app()->loadEnvironmentFrom('.env.test');
    parent::bootstrap(); 
}

So the essential part was to move the parent::bootstrap() call below the loadEnvironmentFrom() call.

Prafulla Kumar Sahu · Answer 2 · 2020-10-03T21:21:31.217

4

Instead of doing any code change, you can use export command create a file called .env.test, you want to sue this as .env file use terminal

APP_ENV=local
php artisan config:cache
php artisan key:generate

This below edit is to explain how .env file is getting set In Illuminate\Foundation\Application class has method loadEnvironmentFrom which is taking the file as parameter and setting it,

you can use bootstrap/app.php after you are getting $app

$app = new Illuminate\Foundation\Application(
    $_ENV['APP_BASE_PATH'] ?? dirname(__DIR__)
 );

here you will be having instance of Illuminate\Foundation\Application

you can just call the loadEnvironmentFrom function like

$app->loadEnvironmentFrom('.env.local');

May be it is better to use Kernel.php instead of this, I do not think either of bootstrap/app.php or kernel.php will get overridden with composer update, so make more calculation while using it. I have added this, so that it will help you understand the stuffs.

edited Oct 03 '20 at 21:21

answered Oct 02 '20 at 21:08

Prafulla Kumar Sahu

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My answer does not involve changing anything inside a vendor file. This obviously a no go. – TheNiceGuy Oct 02 '20 at 21:38
@TheNiceGuy where you are making changes, can you let me know? – Prafulla Kumar Sahu Oct 02 '20 at 21:39
got it, you are changing kernel.php . – Prafulla Kumar Sahu Oct 02 '20 at 21:40
I mentioned it in my answer: Kernel.php file (where the middlewares are being configured) :) – TheNiceGuy Oct 02 '20 at 21:40
Yep, exactly! :) – TheNiceGuy Oct 02 '20 at 21:41
@TheNiceGuy try updated answer, this is also a good option. – Prafulla Kumar Sahu Oct 02 '20 at 22:23
I'm aware that you can define a different environment at the server layer, that won't be possible for this project though. – TheNiceGuy Oct 02 '20 at 23:51
@TheNiceGuy may I know why this is not possible for this project may be that will help me later, but this is a cool one. – Prafulla Kumar Sahu Oct 02 '20 at 23:52
Because the clients might not have access to that. Therefore I am happy with my solution. Thanks anyways! :) – TheNiceGuy Oct 02 '20 at 23:54
@TheNiceGuy hope both way will help future visitors. – Prafulla Kumar Sahu Oct 03 '20 at 05:02
another alternative is put in public/index.php after have variable $app – Kentang Oct 14 '21 at 16:15

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 25 '22 at 08:49

2

You can load a different environment file using APP_ENV

For example if APP_ENV=test then .env.test can be loaded.

More info: https://github.com/laravel/framework/blob/6.x/src/Illuminate/Foundation/Bootstrap/LoadEnvironmentVariables.php#L41

answered Jan 25 '22 at 08:49

David Thomas

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Please share more details, like the code that helps to load a different environment – Nico Haase Jan 25 '22 at 09:00

Laravel - Load different .env file

3 Answers3