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Overview

vLife DGO uses environment variables to configure database connections, server settings, and security keys. All configuration is managed through the src/config.js file, which loads variables from a .env file using the dotenv package.

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Required Variables

The following environment variables should be configured for production deployments:
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DB_HOST
string
default:"localhost"
MySQL database host address. Use localhost for local development or the database server IP/hostname for production.
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DB_PORT
number
default:"3306"
MySQL database port. The standard MySQL port is 3306.
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DB_USER
string
default:"root"
Database username with appropriate privileges for the vLife DGO database.
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DB_PASS
string
default:""
Database user password. Must be set in production for security.
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DB_DATABASE
string
default:"vlifedgo_db"
Name of the MySQL database for vLife DGO. This variable is used for multiple connection pools.
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PORT
number
default:"4001"
Port number where the Express server will listen for HTTP requests.
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SUPER_KEY
string
default:"key_cecc"
Encryption key used for data protection. Must be changed in production to a secure, random value.

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Configuration File

The configuration is centralized in src/config.js: 
import { config } from 'dotenv'

config()

export const PORT = process.env.PORT || 4001

export const DB_HOST = process.env.DB_HOST || 'localhost'
export const DB_PORT = process.env.DB_PORT || 3306
export const DB_USER = process.env.DB_USER || 'root'
export const DB_PASS = process.env.DB_PASS || ''
export const DB_DATABASE = process.env.DB_DATABASE || 'vlifedgo_db'
export const DB_DATABASEV2 = process.env.DB_DATABASE || 'vlifedgo_db'
export const DB_DATA = process.env.DB_DATA || 'vlifedgo_db'
export const SUPER_KEY = process.env.SUPER_KEY || 'key_cecc'

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Setup Instructions

1

Create .env file

Create a .env file in the project root directory (same level as package.json).
2

Add environment variables

Copy the example configuration below and update with your values:
# Server Configuration
PORT=4001

# Database Configuration
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PORT=3306
DB_USER=vlife_user
DB_PASS=your_secure_password_here
DB_DATABASE=vlifedgo_db

# Security
SUPER_KEY=your_secure_encryption_key_here
3

Secure the .env file

Ensure .env is listed in your .gitignore file to prevent committing sensitive credentials:
# Add to .gitignore
.env
.env.local
.env.*.local
4

Verify configuration

Start the application and check the console output to confirm the server is running on the correct port.

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Environment-Specific Configuration

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Development Environment

PORT=4001
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PORT=3306
DB_USER=root
DB_PASS=
DB_DATABASE=vlifedgo_db_dev
SUPER_KEY=dev_key_change_in_production

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Production Environment

PORT=4001
DB_HOST=production-db-server.example.com
DB_PORT=3306
DB_USER=vlife_prod_user
DB_PASS=ComplexP@ssw0rd!2024
DB_DATABASE=vlifedgo_db
SUPER_KEY=RANDOM-SECURE-32-CHAR-STRING
Production Security Checklist:
  • Never use default passwords or empty DB_PASS
  • Generate a strong, random SUPER_KEY (minimum 32 characters)
  • Use a dedicated database user with minimal required privileges
  • Store .env file with restricted permissions (chmod 600)
  • Never commit .env files to version control

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Default Values

All environment variables have default fallback values defined in src/config.js. These defaults are suitable for local development but must be changed for production:
VariableDefault ValueProduction Required
PORT4001Optional
DB_HOSTlocalhostYes
DB_PORT3306Optional
DB_USERrootYes
DB_PASS"" (empty)Yes
DB_DATABASEvlifedgo_dbOptional
SUPER_KEYkey_ceccYes
The application uses the same DB_DATABASE value for multiple database connections (DB_DATABASEV2 and DB_DATA). This is defined in the configuration file.

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Troubleshooting

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Cannot Connect to Database

If you see database connection errors:
  1. Verify DB_HOST and DB_PORT are correct
  2. Ensure the database user has proper privileges
  3. Check that the database vlifedgo_db exists
  4. Confirm MySQL server is running

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Application Not Starting

If the server fails to start:
  1. Check if the PORT is already in use by another process
  2. Verify the .env file is in the correct location (project root)
  3. Ensure all required dependencies are installed (npm install)

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Encryption Errors

If you encounter encryption/decryption errors:
  1. Verify the SUPER_KEY matches the key used to encrypt existing data
  2. Do not change SUPER_KEY after data has been encrypted without proper migration

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