In Python (using the python-dotenv library), if you load files in the right order, the .local version wins. It's like saying: "Use the team settings, unless I have a personal preference."
# ========================================== # FRONTEND / CORS (Optional) # ========================================== CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS=http://localhost:3000,http://127.0.0.1:8000 .env.python.local
Always provide a .env.example file. This tells other developers which variables they need to define in their own .env.python.local file to get the project running. In Python (using the python-dotenv library), if you
Switch to laptop? Change DEBUG to True . Switch back to work? Change DEBUG to False . Forget to change it? Oops—now real users might see scary error pages! In Python (using the python-dotenv library)
If you must put a real (but low-risk) API key in .env.python.local (e.g., a development SendGrid key), treat it like a password. Rotate it monthly.