Skip to main content

❓ FAQ

Find quick answers to common questions about Env Checkup.

1️⃣ Where should I place the configuration file?​

Place your configuration file at the root of your project and name it envcheckup.config.json.

Example:


my-app/
┣ .env
┣ .env.schema.json
┣ envcheckup.config.json
┗ package.json

2️⃣ What happens if envcheckup.config.json is missing?​

If no configuration file is found, Env Checkup uses its default settings:

{
  "schemaPath": "./.env.schema.json",
  "envDir": "./",
  "strict": false,
  "ignore": []
}

You can still pass all options via CLI flags:

npx env-checkup validate --schema ./.env.schema.json --strict

3️⃣ Can I use Env Checkup without creating a schema?​

Yes. If .env.schema.json doesn’t exist, run:

npx env-checkup init

This will guide you interactively to create one.

4️⃣ Does Env Checkup support multiple .env files?​

✅ Yes. Env Checkup automatically discovers common .env variants recursively:

.env
.env.local
.env.example
.env.development
.env.production

It validates each of them against your schema.

5️⃣ How do I ignore specific variables?​

Use the ignore array in your config file:

{
  "ignore": ["NODE_ENV", "DEBUG"]
}

Or use the CLI flag:

npx env-checkup validate --ignore NODE_ENV,DEBUG

6️⃣ How do I enable strict mode?​

Strict mode ensures that the command fails if any variable is missing or invalid.

Enable it in your config:

{
  "strict": true
}

Or run:

npx env-checkup validate --strict

7️⃣ Can I integrate Env Checkup into CI/CD?​

Absolutely. Add it as a step before build or deployment.

GitHub Actions example:

- name: Validate Environment Variables
  run: npx env-checkup validate --strict

If validation fails, the workflow will stop — ensuring safe deployments.

8️⃣ How do I validate a specific .env file?​

Use the --dir flag to target a specific folder containing the file:

npx env-checkup validate --dir ./config

Env Checkup will automatically pick up .env, .env.local, etc. from that folder.

9️⃣ Does Env Checkup support TypeScript projects?​

Yes. Env Checkup works independently of your runtime — it simply reads .env files. It’s compatible with TypeScript, Next.js, Express, and any Node.js project.

🔟 I’m getting “Cannot find schema file” — what should I do?​

Ensure that your schemaPath in envcheckup.config.json is correct:

{
  "schemaPath": "./.env.schema.json"
}

If the file doesn’t exist, create one with:

npx env-checkup init

11️⃣ How can I see which .env files were validated?​

Run in debug mode:

npx env-checkup validate --debug

You’ll see logs of discovered .env files, schema path, and validation summary.

12️⃣ Can I run Env Checkup as an npm script?​

Yes — that’s the recommended way for teams.

In your package.json:

"scripts": {
  "env:init": "env-checkup init",
  "env:validate": "env-checkup validate --strict"
}

Then run:

npm run env:validate

13️⃣ What files should I commit to Git?​

✅ Commit:

.env.schema.json
envcheckup.config.json

🚫 Do not commit:

.env
.env.local
.env.production

14️⃣ How can I update Env Checkup?​

Update to the latest version:

npm update env-checkup

Check your version:

npx env-checkup --version

15️⃣ How do I uninstall Env Checkup?​

If installed locally:

npm uninstall env-checkup

If installed globally:

npm uninstall -g env-checkup

🧩 Need more help?​

If your issue isn’t listed here:

  • Check the GitHub Issues
  • Open a new issue describing your problem
  • Include your .envcheckup.config.json and CLI command for context

Env Checkup is built to make your .env management simple, reliable, and team-friendly.