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temp.cool

How to share a .env file with a developer

1 min read · Updated

Short answer

Paste the contents of the .env file into a temp.cool link that opens once and expires within a day. The developer copies it into their own .env file, and nothing is left behind in chat, email or git history.

  1. 1

    Copy only what they need

    Remove values the developer doesn't need, and use separate keys for development where you can.

  2. 2

    Paste it into one link

    A temp.cool message holds about 10,000 characters, which fits most .env files. Set it to open once.

  3. 3

    They paste it into their own .env

    The developer copies the text into a local .env file that git ignores. The link is gone after that.

Why not Slack, email or the repo?

  • Git remembers forever. A secret committed once stays in the history, even after you delete the file. Public repos are scanned by bots within minutes.
  • Chat is searchable. Everyone in the channel, and everyone who joins later, can search for DATABASE_URL.
  • Attachments get forwarded and backed up. A .env attachment lives on in sent items, inboxes and backups.

Good habits

  • Give each developer their own keys where the service allows it, so you can revoke one person without breaking everyone else.
  • Use test or development credentials for local work, never production ones.
  • Rotate after someone leaves the project.
  • Keep a .env.example in the repo with the variable names but no values, so people know what to ask for.

Larger teams

For a team that changes often, a secrets manager is the long-term answer. temp.cool is the quick, safe way to get the first set of values to someone today. See also sharing API keys with a contractor.

Got a secret to send?

Free, no account. Read once, then poof.

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