env-example

Env var usage in the code

!grep -rohiE '(process\.env\.[A-Z0-9_]+|process\.env\[["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"']\]|os\.environ(\.get)?\(?[\[ ]*["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"']|os\.getenv\(["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"']|ENV\[["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"']\]|getenv\(["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"']|System\.getenv\(["'"'"'][A-Z0-9_]+["'"'"'])' . --include='*.js' --include='*.ts' --include='*.jsx' --include='*.tsx' --include='*.py' --include='*.rb' --include='*.go' --include='*.java' --include='*.php' 2>/dev/null | grep -oiE '[A-Z0-9_]{2,}' | grep -vE '^(process|env|environ|os|get|getenv|System)$' | sort -u | head -120

Existing templates & config

!ls .env.example .env.sample .env.template .env.dist .env 2>/dev/null

!cat .env.example 2>/dev/null | head -60 || echo "No .env.example yet"

Instructions

Generate or update .env.example so it lists every environment variable the project reads (focus on $ARGUMENTS if given). The detected names above are a starting point — verify them against the source.

Method

1. Confirm the real set of variables. The grep above catches common access patterns but can miss dynamically built names, config-library schemas (e.g. a config/env module, zod/envalid/pydantic settings, framework .env loaders), and Docker/compose/CI references. Search those too with Grep, and read the config module if there is one — it's usually the authoritative list.
2. For each variable, determine: whether it's required or optional, its purpose, and a safe example/default. Infer type and format from how it's used (URL, port, boolean, comma-list, secret token).
3. Never include real secrets. Use obvious placeholders (your-api-key-here, changeme, postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/dbname). If a real value appears in an existing .env, do not copy it into the example.
4. Merge, don't clobber. Keep existing entries, comments, and ordering in .env.example; add only the missing variables under clear section headers (grouped by concern: database, auth, third-party APIs, feature flags).
5. Document each entry with a short # comment for its purpose, and mark optional ones (e.g. # optional, default: 3000).

Rules

1. Output goes only to .env.example (or the project's existing template name) — never write or modify a real .env.
2. Don't invent variables the code doesn't use; every entry must trace to a real read in the source. Note any you couldn't classify as required/optional.
3. Use placeholders for all secrets and connection strings — no real credentials, ever.
4. If .env.example exists and isn't tracked-but-should-be ignored, that's fine — but if a real .env is tracked by git, flag it and suggest git rm --cached .env plus a .gitignore entry (hand off to the gitignore skill if needed).
5. After writing, summarize what you added, list any variables that need real values before the app runs, and note anything you weren't sure about.