.env.python.local !!top!! -

load_dotenv()

, you have to ensure your loading logic prioritizes them correctly. DEV Community Verdict: 7/10 It’s a solid choice for complex, multi-language projects , but it’s overkill for a simple Python script. Best Practices for This File: Update your .gitignore .env.python.local

: Committed to version control. This file acts as a template containing non-sensitive default values and empty placeholders for required secrets. .env.python.local

to automatically pick this local environment for your editor. Python documentation 2. The Local Configuration File ( (or sometimes .env.local

Create a default configuration file named .env to store public, non-sensitive defaults: load_dotenv() , you have to ensure your loading

# OpenAI / LLMs OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxxxx

nano .env.python.local

It is important not to confuse Python's internal runtime variable scoping with system environment variables.