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Overview

DevAurva requires several environment variables to be configured for proper operation. These variables control database connections, email notifications, and server settings.

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Required Environment Variables

The following environment variables must be set before running the application:

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Database Configuration

  • MONGODB_URI - MongoDB connection string for database access

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Email Configuration

  • EMAIL_USER - Gmail account email address for sending notifications
  • EMAIL_PASS - Gmail app password (not your regular password)
  • EMAIL_RECIPIENT - Email address to receive form submissions and notifications
Never commit your .env file to version control. Always add .env to your .gitignore file to prevent exposing sensitive credentials.

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Creating the .env File

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Create the environment file
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In your project root directory, create a new file named .env:
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touch .env
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Add environment variables
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Open the .env file and add your configuration:
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# MongoDB Configuration
MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://username:[email protected]/devaurva?retryWrites=true&w=majority

# Email Configuration (Gmail)
EMAIL_USER=[email protected]
EMAIL_PASS=your-app-specific-password
EMAIL_RECIPIENT=[email protected]
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Replace placeholder values
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Update each variable with your actual credentials:
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  • Replace username:[email protected] with your MongoDB connection details
  • Replace [email protected] with your Gmail address
  • Replace your-app-specific-password with your Gmail app password
  • Replace [email protected] with the email where you want to receive notifications

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    Environment Variables Reference

    VariableTypeRequiredDescription
    MONGODB_URIStringYesFull MongoDB connection string including credentials and database name
    EMAIL_USERStringYesGmail account used for sending emails via Nodemailer
    EMAIL_PASSStringYesGmail app-specific password (requires 2FA enabled)
    EMAIL_RECIPIENTStringOptionalRecipient email for notifications. Defaults to EMAIL_USER if not set

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    Loading Environment Variables

    DevAurva uses the dotenv package to load environment variables. This is configured in server.js:10: 
    import dotenv from 'dotenv';

// Load environment variables
dotenv.config();
    The dotenv.config() call automatically loads variables from the .env file in your project root.

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    Verifying Setup

    To verify your environment variables are properly configured:
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    Start the development server
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    node server.js
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    Check console output
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    You should see:
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    Connected to MongoDB
Server running on port 3001
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    Test connectivity
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    If you see connection errors, verify:
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  • MongoDB URI is correct and accessible
  • Email credentials are valid
  • All required environment variables are set
    • Security Best Practices:
    • Never share your .env file or commit it to Git
    • Use app-specific passwords for Gmail (not your account password)
    • Rotate credentials regularly
    • Use different credentials for development and production
    • Ensure your MongoDB connection string uses strong passwords

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    Next Steps

    After setting up your environment variables:
    1. Configure your MongoDB database
    2. Set up email notifications
    3. Start your development server and test the application

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