dotenv.config() does NOT overwrite existing environment variables - the first value loaded wins.

const dotenv = require("dotenv");
const path = require("path");

// Load .env files in correct order: most generic → most specific
// First value loaded wins, so start with system-wide defaults

// 1. System-wide defaults (development1/.env) - API keys, ROOTDIR, ENVIRONMENT
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../../../.env") });

// 2. Project defaults (projecOne/.env) - APP name, project settings  
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../../.env") });

// 3. App/service specific (projecOne/api/.env) - PORT, specific endpoints
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../.env") });

// 4. Local overrides (current directory) - developer-specific settings
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, ".env") });

1. System-wide (development1/.env) loads first → Sets defaults like REDIS_STREAM_HOST, API keys, ENVIRONMENT
2. Project level (projecOne/.env) can override → Different Redis per project if needed
3. Service level (projecOne/api/.env) can override → Specific service configuration (ports, endpoints)
4. Local (.env in current directory) overrides everything → Developer-specific settings (not committed to git)

development1/
├── .env                          # System-wide: API keys, default Redis servers
├── .env.example                  # Template (committed to git)
│
├── standard/
│   └── controllers/
│       ├── .env.example          # Controller-specific overrides (rarely needed)
│       ├── redisStream.js        # Uses system-wide Redis config
│       ├── localredis.js         # Uses system-wide Redis config
│       └── logger.js
│
├── projecOne/
│   ├── .env                      # Project-level overrides
│   ├── .env.example              # Template
│   │
│   └── api/
│       ├── .env                  # Service-level config (port, endpoints)
│       ├── .env.example          # Template
│       └── index.js              # Loads all .env files in correct order
│
└── project2/
    ├── .env                      # Project-level overrides
    ├── .env.example              # Template
    │
    ├── api/
    │   ├── .env                  # API service config
    │   ├── .env.example
    │   └── index.js
    │
    └── web/
        ├── .env                  # Web service config
        ├── .env.example
        └── index.js

Purpose: Shared defaults for all projects

• API keys (Jellyfin, Liddar, Zulip, etc.)
• Default Redis servers
• Root directory paths
• Environment identifier (DEV, PROD)
• Shared service URLs

Example:

ROOTDIR=/home/gerrit/workspace/code/development1
ENVIRONMENT=DEV

REDIS_STREAM_HOST=192.168.2.13
REDIS_STREAM_PORT=6379
REDIS_DATA_HOST=192.168.2.40
REDIS_DATA_PORT=6379

LIDDAR_API_KEY=your-key-here
JELLYFIN_API_KEY=your-key-here
ZULIP_SERVER=https://chat.loener.nl

Purpose: Project-specific configuration that might differ from system defaults

• Application name
• Project-specific Redis server (if different)
• Project version

Example:

APP=ProjectOne
# Override Redis if this project needs different server
# REDIS_STREAM_HOST=192.168.2.50

Purpose: Service-specific configuration

• Port numbers
• API endpoints
• Rate limits
• Timeouts
• Service-specific credentials

Example:

EXPRESS_PORT=3001
API_ENDPOINT=/api/v1
API_RATE_LIMIT=100

• ✅ .env.example files (templates without secrets)
• ✅ All source code
• ✅ package.json files

• ❌ .env files (contain actual API keys, passwords)
• ❌ node_modules/ directories
• ❌ Log files
• ❌ Any file with actual credentials

.env
.env.local
.env.*.local
!.env.example
node_modules/
logs/
*.log

System-wide modules (used by standard controllers):

cd /home/gerrit/workspace/code/development1
npm install dotenv redis winston

Project-specific modules:

cd /home/gerrit/workspace/code/development1/projecOne
npm install express

Service-specific modules:

cd /home/gerrit/workspace/code/development1/projecOne/api
npm install body-parser cors

Standard Controllers (development1/standard/controllers):

• dotenv - Environment configuration
• redis - Redis client
• winston - Logging

API Services:

• express - Web framework
• dotenv - Environment config
• Any project-specific packages

// In projecOne/api/index.js
const dotenv = require("dotenv");
const path = require("path");

// Load environment in correct order
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../../../.env") });
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../../.env") });
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../.env") });
dotenv.config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, ".env") });

// Now import standard controllers - they'll use the loaded env variables
const redisStream = require("../../standard/controllers/redisStream");
const logger = require("../../standard/controllers/logger");

// Access environment variables
console.log(process.env.REDIS_STREAM_HOST);  // From development1/.env
console.log(process.env.EXPRESS_PORT);        // From projecOne/api/.env
console.log(process.env.APP);                 // From projecOne/.env

1. Check the order - most generic should load first
2. Verify file paths with path.resolve(__dirname, "...")
3. Print loaded variables to debug: console.log(process.env)

1. Ensure they're in development1/.env (system-wide)
2. Check .env file is not in .gitignore location
3. Verify no typos in variable names

1. Check REDIS_STREAM_HOST and REDIS_DATA_HOST in development1/.env
2. Verify Redis server is running: redis-cli -h <host> -p <port> ping
3. Check network connectivity and firewall rules

This project is already initialized as a git repository with best practices:

• User configured: [email protected]
• Branch: main (modern convention)
• Initial commit created
• .gitignore configured

1. Create a new project on GitLab:

   • Go to https://gitlab.loener.nl
   • Click "New Project" → "Create blank project"
   • Enter project name (e.g., "development1")
   • Choose visibility level (Private/Internal/Public)
   • Do NOT initialize with README (already exists)
   • Click "Create project"

2. Connect local repository to GitLab:

   cd /home/gerrit/workspace/code/development1
   git remote add origin [email protected]:your-username/your-project-name.git
   git push -u origin main

3. Verify connection:

   git remote -v

Check status:

git status

Stage changes:

# Stage specific files
git add path/to/file.js

# Stage all changes
git add .

# Stage all modified files (not new files)
git add -u

Commit changes:

# With message
git commit -m "Description of changes"

# With detailed message (opens editor)
git commit

Push to GitLab:

# Push to main branch
git push

# Push and set upstream
git push -u origin main

Pull latest changes:

git pull

View commit history:

git log --oneline
git log --graph --oneline --all

If you have the GitLab extension installed:

• View changes in the Source Control panel (Ctrl+Shift+G)
• Stage files by clicking the + icon
• Write commit message in the text box
• Click ✓ to commit
• Click "..." → "Push" to push to GitLab
• Create merge requests directly from VS Code

Create feature branch:

git checkout -b feature/new-feature

Switch branches:

git checkout main
git checkout feature/new-feature

Merge feature into main:

git checkout main
git merge feature/new-feature

Push branch to GitLab:

git push -u origin feature/new-feature

Undo uncommitted changes:

# Discard changes to specific file
git checkout -- path/to/file.js

# Discard all changes
git reset --hard HEAD

Amend last commit:

git commit --amend -m "Updated commit message"

View differences:

# Changes not yet staged
git diff

# Changes staged for commit
git diff --cached

# Changes in specific file
git diff path/to/file.js

1. Commit often: Small, focused commits are easier to review and revert
2. Write clear commit messages: Describe what and why, not how
3. Pull before push: Always get latest changes before pushing
4. Use branches: Keep main stable, develop features in branches
5. Review changes: Use git diff before committing
6. Never commit secrets: .env files are gitignored for this reason