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Overview

Mizen requires several environment variables to be configured for full functionality. This guide covers all required and optional environment variables.

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Environment Files

Mizen uses different environment files for different deployment environments:
  • .env.local - Local development (not committed to git)
  • .env.development.local - Development-specific overrides
  • .env.test.local - Testing environment
  • .env.production.local - Production-specific overrides
Never commit .env files containing secrets to version control. These files are included in .gitignore and .dockerignore.

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Required Environment Variables

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Groq API Key

The Groq API is used for AI-powered recipe parsing and ingredient extraction.
1

Create a Groq account

Sign up at https://console.groq.com/
2

Generate an API key

Navigate to your dashboard and create a new API key.
3

Accept model terms

If you encounter a “model_terms_required” error, visit the model playground to accept the terms for the models you plan to use.
4

Add to environment file

.env.local
GROQ_API_KEY=your_groq_api_key_here

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Supabase Configuration

Supabase is used for database operations and authentication.
.env.local
# Public Supabase URL
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=your_supabase_project_url

# Public anonymous key (safe to expose in client-side code)
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_supabase_anon_key

# Service role key (server-side only, keep secret)
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=your_supabase_service_role_key
  1. Create a project at https://supabase.com
  2. Navigate to Settings > API
  3. Copy the Project URL for NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
  4. Copy the anon/public key for NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY
  5. Copy the service_role key for SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY
The service_role key bypasses Row Level Security. Never expose it in client-side code.

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Optional Environment Variables

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Notion Integration (Feedback System)

If you want to enable the feedback system that sends data to Notion:
.env.local
# Notion API key for feedback collection
NOTION_API_KEY=your_notion_integration_token

# Notion database ID for storing feedback
NOTION_FEEDBACK_DATABASE_ID=your_notion_database_id
  1. Create a Notion integration at https://www.notion.so/my-integrations
  2. Copy the Internal Integration Token for NOTION_API_KEY
  3. Create a database in Notion for feedback
  4. Share the database with your integration
  5. Copy the database ID from the URL for NOTION_FEEDBACK_DATABASE_ID

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Application Versioning

.env.local
# App version displayed in the UI (defaults to 0.1.0)
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_VERSION=0.1.0

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Deployment Environment

.env.local
# Vercel environment (automatically set by Vercel)
NEXT_PUBLIC_VERCEL_ENV=preview

# Node environment (development, production, or test)
NODE_ENV=development

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Complete Example

Here’s a complete .env.local file template:
.env.local
# ============================================
# REQUIRED - AI Processing
# ============================================
GROQ_API_KEY=gsk_your_groq_api_key_here

# ============================================
# REQUIRED - Database & Authentication
# ============================================
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...

# ============================================
# OPTIONAL - Feedback System
# ============================================
NOTION_API_KEY=secret_your_notion_token
NOTION_FEEDBACK_DATABASE_ID=abc123def456

# ============================================
# OPTIONAL - Application Config
# ============================================
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_VERSION=0.1.0

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Environment Variable Usage

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Client-Side vs Server-Side

Next.js handles environment variables differently based on their prefix:

Client-Side

Variables prefixed with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are exposed to the browser.
// Available in client components
process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL

Server-Side

Variables without the prefix are only available on the server.
// Only available in API routes and server components
process.env.GROQ_API_KEY
Never prefix sensitive keys (API secrets, service role keys) with NEXT_PUBLIC_ as this will expose them in the client-side bundle.

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Validating Your Setup

After configuring your environment variables:
1

Restart the development server

npm run dev
2

Check for missing variables

The application will log errors in the console if required environment variables are missing.
3

Test functionality

  • Try parsing a recipe URL to verify Groq API integration
  • Check authentication features to verify Supabase configuration
  • Submit feedback to verify Notion integration (if configured)

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Troubleshooting

Error: GROQ_API_KEY is not configuredSolution: Ensure the GROQ_API_KEY is set in your .env.local file and the server has been restarted.Error: model_terms_requiredSolution: Visit https://console.groq.com/playground and accept the terms for the models being used.
Error: Invalid Supabase URL or authentication failuresSolution:
  • Verify the URL format: https://your-project.supabase.co
  • Check that the anon key and service role key match your project
  • Ensure Row Level Security policies are configured correctly
Issue: Changes to .env.local not taking effectSolution:
  1. Restart the Next.js development server completely
  2. Clear .next cache: rm -rf .next
  3. Verify the file is named exactly .env.local (not .env.local.txt)
  4. Check that the file is in the project root directory

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Security Best Practices

Use Strong Keys

Generate cryptographically secure API keys and rotate them regularly.

Limit Permissions

Use the minimum permissions necessary. For example, use anon keys for client-side Supabase access.

Never Commit Secrets

Always add .env* files to .gitignore to prevent accidental commits.

Use Different Keys

Use separate API keys for development, staging, and production environments.

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Next Steps

Installation

Install dependencies and set up your development environment

Docker Setup

Deploy Mizen using Docker containers

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