Use environment variables in the application runtime

Make some environment variables available only at build time, in the runtime of your application.
By default, the variables you enter in your netlify.toml file are only accessible at build time.

 

Demo

Try the demo: https://use-env-in-runtime-plugin-demo.netlify.app/

 

What this plugin does

This plugin allows you to transfer environment variables in the runtime of your application from those declared in your netlify.toml file and which are only executed at build time.

You can even override variables defined in the Netlify UI!

 

Use case

You are a developer who does not have access to your company's Netlify deployment settings console. But your company allows any branch to be deployed on Netlify.

Let's say you have three environment variables that you want to use on a specific branch for a demo, and one of these variables overrides the one set in the Netlify deployment settings console.

But let's say that for preventive reasons, you are not allowed to push an environment file (.env).

Let's remind it again, the environment variables defined in the Netlify.toml file are only executed at build time. But they are not made accessible at runtime. Therefore, you are stuck.

This is where the netlify-plugin-use-env-in-runtime comes in!

 

Usage

UI Installation

If your project was already deployed to Netlify, use the Netlify UI to install the Use Env In Runtime Plugin in a few clicks.

You're able to remove the plugin at any time by visiting the Plugins tab for your site in the Netlify UI.

 

File-based Installation

To install with file-based installation, add the following lines to your netlify.toml file:

[[plugins]] package = "netlify-plugin-use-env-in-runtime"    
 [plugins.inputs]    
  prefix = ""    
  def = []  

Note: The [[plugins]] line is required for each plugin installed via file-based installation, even if you have other plugins in your netlify.toml file already.
 
To complete file-based installation, from your project's base directory, use npm, yarn, or any other Node.js package manager to add the plugin to devDependencies in package.json.

npm i -D netlify-plugin-use-env-in-runtime  

 

Configuration

The plugin requires two inputs to work.

name	type	description	default
prefix	string	The prefix we want to add to our environment variables. For example, REACT_APP if we use CRA or GATSBY if we use Gatsby.	-
def	string[] | string	The names of the variables you want to use. Accept two naming schemes: 1. use an array of strings: ["VAR_1", "VAR_2"] 2. use a string with a comma or semicolon to separate the names: "VAR_1; VAR_2; VAR_3" or "VAR_1, VAR_2, VAR_3"	-

  Important! You can only configure these inputs in two ways.  

1. You're using the plugin through Netlify UI

   If you are using the plugin through the Netlify UI, the only way to configure these two inputs is by declaring environment variables through the UI.

   # For prefix input
   NETLIFY_PLUGIN_USE_ENV_IN_RUNTIME_PREFIX
   # For def input
   NETLIFY_PLUGIN_USE_ENV_IN_RUNTIME_DEF

   Example:

   

    

   reminder: you can write the value of def input as an array of strings or directly by writing the relative variables with a comma or semicolon as a separator.

    

2. You're using the plugin through your netlify.toml file

   If you are using the plugin through your netlify.toml file, you have two choices. You can use the environment variables through the UI (as mentioned in the first case) or you can define these inputs through your Toml file.

   Example:

   [[plugins]] 
   package = "netlify-plugin-use-env-in-runtime"    
    [plugins.inputs]    
     prefix = "REACT_APP"    
     def = ["VAR_1", "VAR_2"]  
     
   # In our React app:  
   # console.log(process.env); // { ..., REACT_APP_VAR_1 = "something", REACT_APP_VAR_2 = "something else" }  

    

   Important!

   1. The input prefix if defined in the UI is overridden by the one defined in the netlify.toml file if it exists.
   2. The input def if defined in the UI is merged with the one defined in the netlify.toml file if it exists with a notion of winning overload for the one defined in the toml file.

 

Execution in Netlify

Once installed and configured, the plugin will automatically run in the Netlify CI during its specified Netlify Build lifecycle event.

 

Changelog

A detailed changelog, intended for programmers

• 1.2.2 - Fix some issues (#1, #2, #3, #4)
• 1.2.1 - Remove yarn file
• 1.2.0 - Add default inputs and add the possibility to configure the plugin through the ui
• 1.1.0 - Add logs
• 1.0.0 - First deploy

License

GNU General Public License v3.0

Credits

@ARKHN3B (Ben Lmsc)

Known bugs

No bugs found for the moment. Please do not hesitate to report the issue here : issues

Contributing

Become the first contributor !