Solo Dotenv

Solo DotenvStrict .env files. Predictable environment.

Read layered .env files as an array or load them into $_ENV. A broken file fails at startup with its name and line, and the server's own variables keep precedence.

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API reference
Solo Dotenv
  • 🧾

    Strict syntax

    A malformed line, an invalid name or an unterminated quote raises ParseException with the file and line instead of being skipped. The message never contains the value.

  • 🗂️

    Layered files

    .env, then .env.local, or any list of files you name. Each file is optional, and the last assignment to a key wins.

  • 🛡️

    Server variables first

    A variable already present in $_ENV or $_SERVER keeps its value unless you ask to overwrite it. Request headers under HTTP_* names never count as environment.

  • ⚛️

    All or nothing

    load() reads and parses every file before it changes anything. A syntax or read error leaves $_ENV and $_SERVER exactly as they were.

  • 🔢

    Strict accessors

    string(), int(), bool() and required() convert values strictly. 1.5, 1e2 and an overflowing number are not integers, and enabled is not a boolean.

  • 🔒

    Nothing implicit

    No putenv(), no interpolation, no shell commands and no runtime dependencies. File contents stay out of stack traces through #[\SensitiveParameter].

Load and read ​

dotenv
# .env
APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=no
APP_PORT=8080
DB_DSN="pgsql:host=db;dbname=app"
php
use Solo\Dotenv\Dotenv;

Dotenv::load(__DIR__); // .env, then .env.local; both optional

$env = Dotenv::string('APP_ENV', 'local'); // 'production'
$debug = Dotenv::bool('APP_DEBUG');        // false
$port = Dotenv::int('APP_PORT', 8000);     // 8080
$dsn = Dotenv::required('DB_DSN');         // 'pgsql:host=db;dbname=app'

A variable the server already provides, such as APP_ENV set in a container, keeps its value. Read the getting-started guide and the API reference for layered files, precedence and errors.

Installation ​

PHP 8.3+ is required. The package has no runtime dependencies.

sh
composer require solophp/dotenv

Continue with the getting-started guide.

MIT licensed.

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