Think of it as the "spice" to your vault's "broth":
It stores your .env variables in an AES-256 GCM encrypted format. .env.vault.local
In a professional workflow, the .env.vault.local is the only file a developer needs to keep "hidden." It allows a team to have a single source of truth for secrets while giving each individual the flexibility to tweak their environment without the risk of leaking production credentials. Conclusion Think of it as the "spice" to your
In continuous integration, you can provide the DOTENV_KEY via the runner's environment, leaving the empty or omitted. No need to encrypt secrets for CI separately. No need to encrypt secrets for CI separately
.env.vault.local - Local Secrets Management
Traditionally, developers keep their secrets in a .env file on their local machines. When it comes time to deploy, they face a choice: