Configuration - MedMitra

Overview

MedMitra uses environment variables for configuration, keeping sensitive information secure and separate from code. This guide covers all available configuration options for both backend and frontend.

Environment Files

MedMitra uses different environment files for different components:

Backend

.env in the backend/ directory

Frontend

.env.local in the frontend/ directory

Never commit .env or .env.local files to version control. These files contain sensitive API keys and credentials.

Backend Configuration

The backend requires the following environment variables in backend/.env:

Supabase Configuration

Supabase provides database, authentication, and file storage services.

SUPABASE_URL

string

required

Your Supabase project URL. Find this in Project Settings → API.Format: https://your-project-id.supabase.coExample:

SUPABASE_URL="https://xyzabcdef123.supabase.co"

SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY

string

required

The service role key with admin privileges. This key bypasses Row Level Security (RLS).

Keep this key secret! Never expose it in client-side code or commit it to version control.

Location: Project Settings → API → service_role keyExample:

SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."

AI Service Configuration

Groq API

GROQ_API_KEY

string

required

API key for Groq’s LLM inference service. Used for medical text analysis and radiology image interpretation.Models Used:

llama-3.3-70b-versatile for text analysis
llava-v1.5-7b-4096-preview for vision/image analysis

How to Obtain:

Visit console.groq.com
Sign up or log in
Navigate to API Keys
Create a new API key

Example:

GROQ_API_KEY="gsk_abcdef123456789..."

Groq offers a generous free tier with fast inference speeds. Monitor your usage in the console.

LlamaParse API

LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY

string

required

API key for LlamaIndex’s LlamaParse document parsing service. Used to extract structured text from PDF lab reports.How to Obtain:

Visit cloud.llamaindex.ai
Create an account
Navigate to API Keys in settings
Generate a new API key

Example:

LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="llx-..."

LlamaParse is specifically designed for complex document layouts and performs better than standard PDF parsers for medical documents.

Vector Database Configuration (Optional)

These settings are for future features involving semantic search and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).

WEAVIATE_API_KEY

string

API key for Weaviate vector database (optional, for future features).Example:

WEAVIATE_API_KEY="your_weaviate_api_key"

Currently not used in production but reserved for future enhancements.

WEAVIATE_REST_URL

string

REST endpoint URL for Weaviate instance.Example:

WEAVIATE_REST_URL="https://your-cluster.weaviate.network"

Complete Backend .env Template

# Supabase
SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="your_service_role_key"

# AI Services
GROQ_API_KEY="your_groq_api_key"
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="your_llamaparse_api_key"

Frontend Configuration

The frontend requires the following environment variables in frontend/.env.local:

Supabase Configuration (Client-Side)

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL

string

required

Your Supabase project URL. Same as backend but with NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix for client-side access.Example:

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://xyzabcdef123.supabase.co"

The NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix makes this variable accessible in the browser. Only use it for non-sensitive values.

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY

string

required

The anonymous/public key for client-side Supabase access. This key is safe to expose in the browser.Location: Project Settings → API → anon public keyExample:

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9..."

This key respects Row Level Security (RLS) policies, making it safe for client-side use.

Backend API Configuration

NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL

string

required

URL where your FastAPI backend is running.Development:

NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="http://localhost:8000"

Production:

NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="https://your-backend.koyeb.app"

Update this URL when deploying to production. Ensure your backend allows CORS requests from your frontend domain.

Speech-to-Text Configuration

NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY

string

required

API key for Gladia’s speech-to-text service. Used for transcribing doctor’s audio notes.How to Obtain:

Visit gladia.io
Sign up and verify your email
Navigate to the dashboard
Generate an API key

Example:

NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY="your_gladia_api_key"

Gladia provides high-accuracy medical transcription with support for medical terminology.

Complete Frontend .env.local Template

frontend/.env.local

# Supabase Client Configuration
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="your_anon_public_key"

# Backend API
NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="http://localhost:8000"

# Speech-to-Text
NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY="your_gladia_api_key"

Configuration by Environment

Development
Production
Staging

Development Configuration

Backend (.env):

SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="your_service_role_key"
GROQ_API_KEY="your_groq_api_key"
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="your_llamaparse_api_key"

Frontend (.env.local):

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="your_anon_key"
NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="http://localhost:8000"
NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY="your_gladia_api_key"

Server Commands:

Backend: uvicorn app:app --reload
Frontend: npm run dev

Production Configuration

Backend (.env):

SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="your_service_role_key"
GROQ_API_KEY="your_groq_api_key"
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="your_llamaparse_api_key"

Frontend (.env.production or .env.local):

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="your_anon_key"
NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="https://api.yourdomain.com"
NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY="your_gladia_api_key"

Additional Considerations:

Set up HTTPS/SSL certificates
Configure CORS in backend to allow your frontend domain
Use production-grade servers (Gunicorn/Uvicorn workers for backend)
Enable caching and CDN for frontend assets

Staging Configuration

Use a separate Supabase project for staging:Backend (.env.staging):

SUPABASE_URL="https://your-staging-project.supabase.co"
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="your_staging_service_role_key"
GROQ_API_KEY="your_groq_api_key"
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="your_llamaparse_api_key"

Frontend (.env.staging):

NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL="https://your-staging-project.supabase.co"
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="your_staging_anon_key"
NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL="https://staging-api.yourdomain.com"
NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY="your_gladia_api_key"

Loading Configuration

Backend (Python)

The backend uses python-dotenv to load environment variables:

config.py

import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()

SUPABASE_URL = os.getenv("SUPABASE_URL")
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY = os.getenv("SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY")
GROQ_API_KEY = os.getenv("GROQ_API_KEY")
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY = os.getenv("LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY")
WEAVIATE_API_KEY = os.getenv("WEAVIATE_API_KEY")
WEAVIATE_REST_URL = os.getenv("WEAVIATE_REST_URL")

Frontend (Next.js)

Next.js automatically loads .env.local files. Access variables in code:

// Accessible anywhere in your app
const supabaseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
const backendUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL

Only variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are accessible in client-side code.

Security Best Practices

Never Commit Secrets

Add .env and .env.local to .gitignore
Use .env.example files to document required variables without values
Never hardcode API keys in source code

Rotate Keys Regularly

Rotate API keys every 3-6 months
Immediately rotate if a key is accidentally exposed
Use separate keys for development, staging, and production

Use Environment-Specific Keys

Separate Supabase projects for dev/staging/production
Different API keys for each environment when possible
Restrict production keys to production servers only

Principle of Least Privilege

Use anon key (not service role) in frontend
Set up Row Level Security (RLS) policies in Supabase
Limit API key permissions where possible

Validation and Troubleshooting

Verify Configuration

Create a simple script to verify your configuration:

# backend/verify_config.py
import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()

required_vars = [
    "SUPABASE_URL",
    "SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY",
    "GROQ_API_KEY",
    "LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY"
]

for var in required_vars:
    value = os.getenv(var)
    if value:
        print(f"✓ {var}: {value[:20]}...")
    else:
        print(f"✗ {var}: NOT SET")

Common Configuration Issues

Variables Not Loading

Backend:

Ensure .env file is in the same directory as app.py
Verify no typos in variable names
Check that load_dotenv() is called before accessing variables
Try python-dotenv instead of reading files manually

Frontend:

Ensure file is named exactly .env.local (not .env or env.local)
Restart the dev server after adding/changing variables
Verify NEXT_PUBLIC_ prefix for client-side variables

CORS Errors

If you see CORS errors when frontend calls backend:

Verify NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL is correct
Check backend CORS configuration in app.py:

app.add_middleware(
    CORSMiddleware,
    allow_origins=["http://localhost:3000"],  # Add your frontend URL
    allow_credentials=True,
    allow_methods=["*"],
    allow_headers=["*"],
)

In production, update allow_origins to your frontend domain

Supabase Connection Failed

Verify URL format: https://xyz.supabase.co (no trailing slash)
Check API keys for extra spaces or newlines
Ensure Supabase project is not paused (free tier)
Test connection directly in Supabase SQL Editor

API Key Invalid

Verify key is copied completely (no truncation)
Check if key has expired or been revoked
Ensure no quotes around the key value in .env
Try regenerating the key in the provider’s dashboard

Configuration Examples

Template Files

Create example files for your team:

# Supabase Configuration
SUPABASE_URL="https://your-project.supabase.co"
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY="your_service_role_key_here"

# AI Service API Keys
GROQ_API_KEY="your_groq_api_key_here"
LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY="your_llamaparse_api_key_here"

# Optional: Vector Database
# WEAVIATE_API_KEY="your_weaviate_api_key"
# WEAVIATE_REST_URL="your_weaviate_rest_url"

Environment Variable Reference

Quick Reference Table

Variable	Component	Required	Description
`SUPABASE_URL`	Backend	Yes	Supabase project URL
`SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY`	Backend	Yes	Admin key for backend operations
`GROQ_API_KEY`	Backend	Yes	Groq LLM API key
`LLAMAPARSE_API_KEY`	Backend	Yes	LlamaParse document parsing key
`WEAVIATE_API_KEY`	Backend	No	Vector database key (future)
`WEAVIATE_REST_URL`	Backend	No	Vector database URL (future)
`NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL`	Frontend	Yes	Supabase project URL
`NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY`	Frontend	Yes	Public key for client auth
`NEXT_PUBLIC_FASTAPI_BACKEND_URL`	Frontend	Yes	Backend API endpoint
`NEXT_PUBLIC_GLADIA_API_KEY`	Frontend	Yes	Speech-to-text API key

Next Steps

Getting Started

Quick start guide to get MedMitra running

API Reference

Explore all available API endpoints

Authentication

Learn about authentication and user management

AI Agents

Understand the multi-agent AI system

Overview

Getting Started

Core Features

User Guide

AI Agents

​Overview

​Environment Files

Backend

Frontend

​Backend Configuration

​Supabase Configuration

​AI Service Configuration

​Groq API

​LlamaParse API

​Vector Database Configuration (Optional)

​Complete Backend .env Template

​Frontend Configuration

​Supabase Configuration (Client-Side)

​Backend API Configuration

​Speech-to-Text Configuration

​Complete Frontend .env.local Template

​Configuration by Environment

​Development Configuration

​Production Configuration

​Staging Configuration

​Loading Configuration

​Backend (Python)

​Frontend (Next.js)

​Security Best Practices

​Validation and Troubleshooting

​Verify Configuration

​Common Configuration Issues

​Configuration Examples

​Template Files

​Environment Variable Reference

​Quick Reference Table

​Next Steps

Getting Started

API Reference

Authentication

AI Agents

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Environment Files

Backend Configuration

Supabase Configuration

AI Service Configuration

Groq API

LlamaParse API

Vector Database Configuration (Optional)

Complete Backend .env Template

Frontend Configuration

Supabase Configuration (Client-Side)

Backend API Configuration

Speech-to-Text Configuration

Complete Frontend .env.local Template

Configuration by Environment

Development Configuration

Production Configuration

Staging Configuration

Loading Configuration

Backend (Python)

Frontend (Next.js)

Security Best Practices

Validation and Troubleshooting

Verify Configuration

Common Configuration Issues

Configuration Examples

Template Files

Environment Variable Reference

Quick Reference Table

Next Steps