I don't get the use of the .env file

JavaScript
#1

Hello all!

Could somebody tell me what’s missing in my code for the use of the .env file?
My response doesn’t seem to change accordingly. Thanks!!!

https://boilerplate-express.flautisimo.repl.co

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Challenge: Use the .env File

Link to the challenge:

#2

What is the content of your .env file?

#3

You have put this:

var MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase;

but a .env isn’t a JavaScript file, you can’t use JavaScript syntax like var in there. If you remove that it should work.

#4

var MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase;

So, am I failing at using “var” to set the corresponding variable?

#5

Yes, .env is a configuration file which consists of key/value pairs separated by = (no spaces).
And it should be named .env

#6

Well, I changed it. I named it .env and I store the variable MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase.

I also updated my code a little as follows…

var response = {"message": "Hello json"};
app.get("/json", (req, res) => {
  if (process.env.MESSAGE_STYLE === "uppercase") {
    response.message = response.message.toUpperCase();
    } res.json(response);
  } 
);

And yet, it doesn’t seem to work.

#7 
var response = {"message": "Hello json"};
app.get("/json", (req, res) => {
  if (process.env.MESSAGE_STYLE === "uppercase") {
    response.message = response.message.toUpperCase();
    } res.json(response);
  } 
);

Can you find what is going on with it? Many thanks!

#8

Hey @flautisimo ,

The .env file is an environment file. This is where you would store your secrets that you don’t want others to know. Nodejs have a method to get the .env file using the process.env.

The .env file is indeed not a JavaScript file, but it is still a useful file to store your API keys, that is needed on runtime without exposing it to the public.
The .env file is supposed to be simple syntax:

VARIABLE_NAME=VALUE
#9

Apparently something is wrong with your .env file, because https://boilerplate-express.flautisimo.repl.co/json doesn’t return the correct result.

#10

I think you need to put everything, including the declaration of response inside app.get() callback

#11

Thanks @Catalactics , I did store my variable as the FCC challenge dictates: MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase in the .env file I created, but apparently the process.env is not reading it. I’ve no clue!

#12

have you tried my last message?

#13

You mean like this?

app.get("/json", (req, res) => {
  var response = {"message": "Hello json"};
  if (process.env.MESSAGE_STYLE === "uppercase") {
    response.message = response.message.toUpperCase();
    } res.json(response);
  } 
);

It didn’t work :frowning:

#15

can you give the link to your code, please?

#16

I am on replit.com and the console doesn’t show me anything if I add console.log to my code…

Here’s my project…
https://boilerplate-express.flautisimo.repl.co/

#17

please give the link to your code, not the live app link where your code is not visible

#18

Will this make it?
https://replit.com/@Flautisimo/boilerplate-express#myApp.js

#19

I’ve forked your code, created the .env file with the variable, and it passes the challenge

what’s the content of your .env file?

#20

Unbelievable!

my .env file reads as follows…

MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase;
#21 
MESSAGE_STYLE=uppercase;
                       ^