.env.development.local May 2026

Tools like Next.js follow a strict load order to determine which variable takes precedence. Generally, the more specific a file is, the higher its priority:

: It is designed to override default settings found in .env or .env.development . .env.development.local

: If you are running a local instance of MongoDB or PostgreSQL, you can define your DATABASE_URL here. Tools like Next

: It is strictly for local use and should never be committed to version control (Git). the more specific a file is