6

I have a secret key called API_KEY that I want to access inside of package.json's scripts.

package.json

{
   "scripts": {
      "start": "web-ext run --api-key=API_KEY"
   }
}

My .env file contains API_KEY:

API_KEY=abc123

How can I access the value of API_KEY inside package.json's scripts while still keeping it a secret because I need to push package.json publicly?

Currently, I do the following which works but not cross-platform:

package.json

{
   "scripts": {
      "start": "web-ext run --api-key=$API_KEY"
   }
}

And when running start script I do it like:

API_KEY=abc123 npm start

This works thanks to Bash Programming Language but it doesn't work on Windows. I need to replace $API_KEY in start script with %API_KEY%. But I want it to be cross-platform. Is there any other way?

Improve this question
5
  • Why not just simply create a directory called config with a js file named config.js and do a module export of that api key? Than copy that file and name it config.js.example that would be empty with a file exclusion in .gitignore? Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 9:06
  • Possible duplicate of How to set environment variables from within package.json Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 9:09
  • @DᴀʀᴛʜVᴀᴅᴇʀ imo it's not a duplicate as i want to keep the environment variables value private. there is an answer containing env-cmd which might've worked for my case but it can't as i want to use the variable as an argument to --api-key so can't do that according to github.com/toddbluhm/env-cmd-examples/issues/… Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 14:11
  • 1
    "when running start script I do it like API_KEY=abc123 npm start" - why use environment variables at all when you have a cli parameter for that? Just drop the --api-key=API_KEY from the package.json - no issues with cross-platform compatibility - and call it like npm start --api-key=abc123. Commented Sep 22, 2019 at 14:33
  • @Bergi I still need to remember the argument --api-key & --api-secret. So rather than that, I find my own solution to be good suggested in the question. Only thing to make it work on Windows, is to change $API_KEY to %API_KEY%. When I posted the question, I thought a simpler solution exists but unfortunately it doesn't :( Commented Sep 23, 2019 at 5:39

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
2

The only other viable answer to this I found so far is a bit hacky:

{
   "scripts": {
      "start": "web-ext run --api-key=$(grep API_KEY .env | cut -d '=' -f2)"
   }
}

[https://stackoverflow.com/a/58038814/1822977]

Improve this answer
Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

1

For cross platform

1) You can use 'npm env-cmd' as a devDependencies.

Setting the environment from a file

Usage

Environment file ./.env

# This is a comment
API_KEY=abc123

Package.json

{
  "scripts": {
    "start": "env-cmd web-ext run"
  }
}

2) You can use 'npm cross-env' as a devDependencies.

Run scripts that set and use environment variables across platforms

Usage

{
  "scripts": {
    "start": "cross-env API_KEY=abc123 web-ext run"
  }
}

For Windows only

You can try something like this:

cmd /C "set API_KEY=abc123 && npm start"

As Viper_Sb says here:

/C exits the new cmd right away after running, if you produce output with the new one it will still be visible in the parent window.

You can opt to use /K in which case the new cmd window stays open at the end of the run.

Improve this answer

2 Comments

Can't use env-cmd as I want to pass it as an argument to --api-key. Can't use cross-env as I need to keep the value abc123 private. The third one is only Windows :(
env-cmd doesn't work for me as pointed on this issue → github.com/toddbluhm/env-cmd-examples/issues/… which is exactly what i want to do
0

Cross-Plattform: Using dotenv-cli & cross-var

Disclaimer: Only tested with Windows 11 (PowerShell 7 and CMD) so far.

Requires dotenv-cli and cross-var (or a fork like x-var)

dotenv-cli: Makes the values from .env accessible inside the scripts-section.

cross-var: Makes it usable cross-plattform with $API_KEY when between \" \" like \"$API_KEY\".

.env

API_KEY='sdf8879123sdfi'
API_ENDPOINT='https://api.example.com'

packages.json

{
  "scripts": {
    "check-env": "dotenv -- cross-var echo \"$API_ENDPOINT\"",
    "start-v1": "dotenv -- cross-var YOUR-CUSTOM-START-COMMAND --api=\"$API_ENDPOINT\" --key=\"$API_KEY\""
    "start-v2": "dotenv -- cross-var \" YOUR-CUSTOM-START-COMMAND --api=$API_ENDPOINT --api-key=$API_KEY \""

 }
  "devDependencies": {
    "cross-var": "^1.1.0",
    "dotenv-cli": "^7.0.0",
  }
}

Syntax-Explanation

dotenv --: The -- belongs to dotenv-cli, and it's used as a separator. It's helpful to specify which flags belong to dotenv like dotenv -e .env.local -- [...] and which belong to the rest.

Improve this answer

Comments

-1

You can simply require "dotenv" lib, and access var from process.env.{SOME_KEY}

Improve this answer

1 Comment

No, dotenv doesn't work that way AFAICT. i need to access it in package.json > scripts & not a *.js file. dotenv needs to be loaded first and then used inside *.js file :)

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.