Even though it is a "local" file, never put actual passwords or API keys in a "dist" or template file. Use placeholders like YOUR_API_KEY_HERE .
Imagine your team uses a shared staging database by default, but some developers prefer to run a local MariaDB instance. DATABASE_URL=https://example.com API_KEY=placeholder_key Use code with caution. Your .env.dist.local would look like: .env.dist.local