Managing Environment Variables in Ruby

Introduction

Environment variables are a crucial aspect of any Ruby application. They allow you to store sensitive information, such as API keys and database credentials, outside of your codebase. This not only enhances security but also makes it easier to manage different configurations for development, testing, and production environments. In this article, we will explore how to effectively manage environment variables in Ruby.

Setting Environment Variables

Using the dotenv Gem

One popular way to manage environment variables in Ruby is by using the dotenv gem. This gem allows you to store your environment variables in a .env file and load them into your application using the ENV global variable. Here's how you can set up dotenv in your Ruby project:

# Gemfile
gem 'dotenv'

# .env
API_KEY=your_api_key
DATABASE_URL=your_database_url

After adding the dotenv gem to your Gemfile and creating a .env file with your environment variables, you can load them into your application by requiring dotenv at the top of your main Ruby file:

# app.rb
require 'dotenv/load'

puts ENV['API_KEY']
puts ENV['DATABASE_URL']

Using System Environment Variables

Another way to manage environment variables in Ruby is by setting them directly on your system. This can be useful when deploying your application to a platform like Heroku, which allows you to configure environment variables through its dashboard or CLI. Here's how you can access system environment variables in Ruby:

puts ENV['API_KEY']
puts ENV['DATABASE_URL']

Best Practices

Keep Sensitive Information Secure

When working with environment variables, it's important to keep sensitive information secure. Avoid committing your .env file to version control and ensure that it is included in your .gitignore file. Additionally, consider using a tool like HashiCorp Vault for managing and storing sensitive data.

Use Different Configurations for Different Environments

It's common to have different configurations for development, testing, and production environments. By using environment variables, you can easily switch between these configurations without modifying your code. For example, you can have separate API keys for each environment or use a different database URL for testing.

Conclusion

Managing environment variables in Ruby is essential for building secure and flexible applications. By using tools like the dotenv gem and system environment variables, you can easily store and access sensitive information outside of your codebase. Remember to follow best practices, such as keeping sensitive data secure and using different configurations for different environments. With these techniques, you can effectively manage environment variables in your Ruby projects.