Reputation: 10624

Why is process.env.NODE_ENV undefined?

I'm trying to follow a tutorial on NodeJS. I don't think I missed anything but whenever I call the process.env.NODE_ENV the only value I get back is undefined. According to my research the default value should be development. How is this value dynamically set and where is it set initially?

Upvotes: 317

Answers (26)

binglong li

Reputation: 119

Perhaps someone have the same issue as I do. When using WSL and running NODE_ENV=xxx && node xx.js, because WSL can call Windows programs by default, the node program might be the Windows version of Node.js. It reads Windows environment variables, while NODE_ENV=xxx runs in the WSL bash, which can lead to undefined values!

You can edit /etc/wsl.conf and restart WSL to avoid this issue:

[interop]
# disable
enabled = false
# or do not add Windows path
appendWindowsPath = false

Upvotes: 0

Shah Fahad

Reputation: 227

in package.json

"scripts": {
   "start": "nodemon server.js",
   "start:prod": "NODE_ENV=production nodemon server.js"
 },

in root directory / create file .env: and add the following.

NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000

in app.js file add the following

// Express app setup
const express = require("express");
const morgan = require("morgan"); // HTTP request logger middleware for node.js.
const app = express();
app.use(express.json());

// Will not run in production
if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") app.use(morgan("dev"));

// Test route
app.get("/", (req, res) => {
  res.status(200).json({ status: "Success", message: "Request Recieved" });
});

in server.js

const dotenv = require("dotenv"); //  Loads environment variables from .env file
dotenv.config({ path: ".env" });
const app = require("./app");
// init server
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 8000;
app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server is running on port: http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

Run Command: npm start Hit route: http://localhost:3000

Upvotes: 0

Siddhartha Raut

Reputation: 1

If you are running command in PowerShell, try this:

$env:NODE_ENV = "development"
nodemon(npm) server.js

If you are running command Unix-like shells (e.g., Bash), try this:

NODE_ENV=development nodemon(npm) server.js

Upvotes: 0

Abbas Gawali

Reputation: 11

I was using the dotenv as follows

import express from "express";
import dotenv from "dotenv";

const app = express();
const port = process.env.PORT;
 
dotenv.config();

but the correct way of using is

import express from "express";
import dotenv from "dotenv";
dotenv.config(); 
const app = express();
const port = process.env.PORT;

it should be at top of any variable i

Upvotes: 0

Ángel Ugarte

Reputation: 161

Well, this answer could help you and it works with these stack, Node.js with Next.js and tRPC.

Steps:

You have to install dotenv package to access the .env data through your process.env object. So if you are using npm you have to type: npm install dotenv
Then, you have to find the folder where is located your environment variables validation, it usually have a validator library like Zod, the file in this folder could have the extension .js or .mjs. Here you have to add this code at the beginning:

// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
require('dotenv').config();

Upvotes: 0

Gel

Reputation: 3046

In my case, I have a node app. The way I have structured it is that I have client folder and server folder. I had my .env file inline with these two folder. My server file needs the .env file. It was returning undefined because it did not live inside the server file. It was an oversight.

App
-client
-server
-.env

Instead I moved .env inside server file like so:

App
-client
-server
 |-.env <---here
 |-package.json
 |-and the rest of the server files...

(before this - ofcourse have the dotenv npm package installed and follow its doc)

Upvotes: 2

Stday

Reputation: 127

Must be the first require in app.js

npm install dotenv

require("dotenv").config();

Upvotes: 11

PRIYESH N D

Reputation: 61

install dotenv module ( npm i dotenv --save )

require('dotenv').config() //write inside the file where you will use the variable

console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV) // returns value stored in .env file

Upvotes: 6

Daniil

Reputation: 21

I also faced this issue. I moved .env file to the root folder (not the project folder, a level higher) and it worked out.

Check it. it might help you as well

Upvotes: 0

risingPhoenix1979

Reputation: 1164

Defining process.env.NODE_ENV in package.json for Windows/Mac/Linux:

Here's what worked for me on my Mac (MacBook Pro 2019, 16 inch, Big Sur):

"scripts": {
    "build": "export NODE_ENV=prod || set NODE_ENV=prod&& npx eslint . && node --experimental-json-modules ./backend/app.js && gulp",
},

Using the export NODE_ENV=prod || set NODE_ENV=prod&& string may work in Windows and Linux but I haven't tested that.

If someone could confirm that would be great.

Unfortunately using the cross-env npm package did NOT work for me at all in my package.json file and I spend a long time on my Mac trying to make this work.

Upvotes: 0

James Tikalsky

Reputation: 3996

process.env is a reference to your environment, so you have to set the variable there.

To set an environment variable in Windows:

SET NODE_ENV=development

on macOS / OS X or Linux:

export NODE_ENV=development

Upvotes: 312

Ahsan Farooq

Reputation: 967

You can use the dotenv package from npm, here is the link: https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv

Which allows you to place all your configuration in a .env file

Upvotes: 1

Saurabh Joshi

Reputation: 81

If you define any function with the name process then that may also cause this issue.

Upvotes: 0

Vigneshwaran Chandrasekaran

Reputation: 3243

In Electron Js

"scripts": {
    "start": "NODE_ENV=development electron index.js",
},

Upvotes: 0

Jon

Reputation: 2681

For me, the issue was that I was using the pkg library to turn my app into an executable binary. In that case, the accepted solutions didn't work. However, using the following code solved my problem:

const NODE_ENV = (<any>process).pkg ? 'production' : process.env.NODE_ENV;

I found this solution here on GitHub.

Upvotes: 0

Khushwant kodecha

Reputation: 529

As early as possible in your application, require and configure dotenv.

require('dotenv').config()

Upvotes: 13

Adrian Almeida

Reputation: 19

It is due to OS

In your package.json, make sure to have your scripts(Where app.js is your main js file to be executed & NODE_ENV is declared in a .env file).Eg:

"scripts": {
    "start": "node app.js",
    "dev": "nodemon server.js",
    "prod": "NODE_ENV=production & nodemon app.js"
  }

For windows

Also set up your .env file variable having NODE_ENV=development

If your .env file is in a folder for eg.config folder make sure to specify in app.js(your main js file)

const dotenv = require('dotenv'); dotenv.config({ path: './config/config.env' });

Upvotes: 1

Daniel B

Reputation: 4555

If you faced this probem in React, you need [email protected] and higher. Also for other environment variables than NODE_ENV to work in React, they need to be prefixed with REACT_APP_.

Upvotes: 0

NRP

Reputation: 462

In macOS for those who are using the express version 4.x.x and using the DOTENV plugin, need to use like this:

After installing the plugin import like the following in the file where you init the application: require('dotenv').config({path: path.resolve(__dirname+'/.env')});
In the root directory create a file '.env' and add the varaiable like:

NODE_ENV=development or NODE_ENV = development

Upvotes: 15

D V Yogesh

Reputation: 3700

in package.json we have to config like below (works in Linux and Mac OS)

the important thing is "export NODE_ENV=production" after your build commands below is an example:

  "scripts": {
     "start": "export NODE_ENV=production && npm run build && npm run start-server",
     "dev": "export NODE_ENV=dev && npm run build && npm run start-server",
  }

for dev environment, we have to hit "npm run dev" command
for a production environment, we have to hit "npm run start" command

Upvotes: 18

Liran H

Reputation: 10609

You can use the cross-env npm package. It will take care of trimming the environment variable, and will also make sure it works across different platforms.

In the project root, run:

npm install cross-env

Then in your package.json, under scripts, add:

"start": "cross-env NODE_ENV=dev node your-app-name.js"

Then in your terminal, at the project root, start your app by running:

npm start

The environment variable will then be available in your app as process.env.NODE_ENV, so you could do something like:

if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'dev') {
  // Your dev-only logic goes here
}

Upvotes: 26

joaquindev

Reputation: 153

You can also set it by code, for example:

process.env.NODE_ENV = 'test';

Upvotes: -3

kenberkeley

Reputation: 9856

tips

in package.json:

"scripts": {
  "start": "set NODE_ENV=dev && node app.js"
 }

in app.js:

console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV) // dev
console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'dev') // false
console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV.length) // 4 (including a space at the end)

so, this may better:

"start": "set NODE_ENV=dev&& node app.js"

console.log(process.env.NODE_ENV.trim() === 'dev') // true

Upvotes: 119

Jacob

Reputation: 694

We ran into this problem when working with node on Windows.

Rather than requiring anyone who attempts to run the app to set these variables, we provided a fallback within the application.

var environment = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development';

In a production environment, we would define it per the usual methods (SET/export).

Upvotes: 57

mlaccetti

Reputation: 1756

For people using *nix (Linux, OS X, etc.), there's no reason to do it via a second export command, you can chain it as part of the invoking command:

NODE_ENV=development node server.js

Easier, no? :)

Upvotes: 73

Gilbert Flamino

Reputation: 111

In UBUNTU use:

$ export NODE_ENV=test

Upvotes: 8

Why is process.env.NODE_ENV undefined?

Answers (26)

Steps:

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