.env.development

Modern frameworks (including Next.js, Vite, Create React App , and Nuxt ) evaluate multiple configuration files cascading by priority order. While rules may slightly shift by framework, the standard descending lookup order looks like this:

The root cause is often environmental mismatch. .env.development

Stop the server ( Ctrl+C ) and restart it. For Next.js, you may need to run next clean to clear the cache. Modern frameworks (including Next

console.log( Loading config for: $process.env.NODE_ENV ); module.exports = ...process.env ; Modern frameworks (including Next.js

Unlike production files, the development version prioritizes over security. It connects to local databases, enables verbose logging, and turns off aggressive caching.

file includes variables for your local server, API endpoints, and authentication keys: # Server Configuration PORT=3000 NODE_ENV=development # API Endpoints (Local/Staging)