Can't use dotenv with ES6 modules

Question

I am moving an Express app across from CommonJS require syntax to the ES6 module import syntax. This is fine until I try and use dotenv to load my environment variables and every time I try to access these variables they come back as undefined.

app.js

// importing environmental variables
import dotenv from 'dotenv';
dotenv.config();
import express from 'express';

let x = process.env.David;
console.log(x);

.env

David = test

Show us the commonJS syntax you are trying to convert – Tawfik Nasser Oct 31 '20 at 11:07 — Tawfik Nasser, Oct 31 '20 at 11:07

score 35 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 15 '20 at 00:04

35

import "dotenv/config.js";

For .env variables across all files use the above.

edited Dec 15 '20 at 00:04

Andrzej Sydor

1,373
4
13
28

answered Dec 14 '20 at 16:19

Priyanshu Gupta

461
3
8

this is the easiest way to do it, good job – Anas Sep 13 '22 at 09:33
Notice that in many cases you want to put this import statement before ALL other import statements in your index.js / main.ts / entry point file. This can eliminate problems with common frameworks such as NestJS. – Finkle MacGraw Dec 12 '22 at 11:26

score 27 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 31 '20 at 13:17

27

Try putting the env config in a separate file and import it first.

// loadEnv.js
import dotenv from 'dotenv';
dotenv.config()


// index.js
import './loadEnv';
import express from 'express';
let x = process.env.David;
console.log(x);

answered Oct 31 '20 at 13:17

Ozgur Sar

2,067
2
11
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I'm glad to help @DavidMulholland. Please consider to accept this or any other answer that worked for you. – Ozgur Sar Oct 31 '20 at 15:05
Why does this work? – Samuel Nihoul Apr 09 '22 at 12:54
it does not work for me :( – Samuel Nihoul Apr 09 '22 at 12:55
1

@samuelnihoul This works because the *loadEnv.js* module code is executed before the *express.js* module code. Assuming, of course, that it is imported before that. – Bergi Apr 09 '22 at 13:25

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 21 '22 at 20:10

1

 // importing environmental variables
        import express from 'express';
        import { config } from "dotenv";
        config({ path: process.ENV })
            
        let x = process.env.David;
        console.log(x);

answered Apr 21 '22 at 20:10

David hernando Caycedo blum

11
1

2

You could improve your answer with an explanation of your code – Zach Jensz Apr 25 '22 at 11:01
path is a string and ProcessEnv is not, this is not correct? – Jeremy Feb 20 '23 at 22:25

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 02 '23 at 00:03

import path from 'path';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
import "dotenv/config.js";
    
const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
const __dirname = path.dirname(__filename);

dotenv.config({path:`${__dirname}/.env`});

I did this because my .env file was inside src folder (projectName/src/.env) and it was not detected by dotenv. But actually it's easier move .env file to the project folder (projectName/.env) and use:

import "dotenv/config.js";

Can't use dotenv with ES6 modules

4 Answers4

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