DotEnvify

Convert messy key-value pairs into clean, standardized .env files.

Transform this:

API_KEY
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0
DATABASE_URL
postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/db

Into this:

API_KEY=a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0
DATABASE_URL="postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/db"

After doing this manually one too many times, this tool was rage-coded into existence. You're welcome.

Install

npm install -g @webbies.dev/dotenvify

Or run directly without installing:

npx @webbies.dev/dotenvify vars.txt -o .env

Permission errors (EACCES):

# Option 1: Use npx (no install needed)
npx @webbies.dev/dotenvify [commands]

# Option 2: Fix npm permissions (recommended)
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH  # Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
npm install -g @webbies.dev/dotenvify

Windows PowerShell: If you get an execution policy error, use Command Prompt (cmd.exe) or run Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser in PowerShell as Administrator.

Usage

dotenvify <source> [options]

# Convert a file to .env (default)
dotenvify vars.txt

# Custom output path
dotenvify vars.txt -o production.env

# Add export prefix to all variables
dotenvify vars.txt --export

# Overwrite existing .env without backup
dotenvify vars.txt -f

# Preserve specific variables (keep their existing values)
dotenvify vars.txt --preserve "DATABASE_URL,API_KEY"

# Only extract URLs, skip lowercase keys
dotenvify vars.txt --url-only --skip-lower

Options

| Option | Alias | Description | |---------------------|-------|----------------------------------------------------------| | --output <file> | -o | Output file path (default: .env) | | --export | -e | Add export prefix to all variables | | --overwrite | -f | Overwrite output without creating a backup | | --preserve <vars> | -k | Comma-separated variables to keep existing values for | | --skip-sort | | Maintain original order (default: sorted alphabetically) | | --skip-lower | | Skip variables with lowercase keys | | --url-only | | Include only variables with HTTP/HTTPS URL values |

Supported Formats

DotEnvify auto-detects and handles all of these, even mixed in the same file:

# KEY=VALUE
API_KEY=a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0

# Quoted values
SECRET="my secret value"

# export prefix (stripped automatically)
export NODE_ENV=production

# Space-separated
REDIS_HOST localhost

# Key on one line, value on the next
DATABASE_URL
postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/db

Lines starting with # are treated as comments and ignored.

IDE Plugins

Prefer working in your editor? DotEnvify has IDE plugins with features beyond the CLI: Azure DevOps integration, paste-and-format, and real-time .env diagnostics.

| | Plugin | Highlights | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | | IntelliJ, WebStorm, GoLand, PyCharm, Rider | Azure DevOps variable groups, paste & format, diagnostics | | | Visual Studio Code | Parser, formatter, diagnostics |

Upgrading from v0.x (Go version)

v1.0 is a full rewrite in TypeScript. If you're upgrading, read this.

What's different

| | v0.x (Go) | v1.x (TypeScript) | |------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Runtime | Pre-built Go binary | Requires Node.js 18+ | | Install | Binary via postinstall script | Standard npm install | | Command | dotenvify -azure -group "Vars" | dotenvify vars.txt -o .env | | Azure DevOps | Built into CLI (-azure flag) | Removed. Use the JetBrains plugin | | Self-update | Built-in (-update) | npm update -g @webbies.dev/dotenvify | | Parsing | Same formats supported | Same formats supported |

Breaking changes

• Azure DevOps is no longer in the CLI. Variable group fetching has moved to the JetBrains plugin, which provides a richer experience with IDE integration. If you relied on -azure, -org, or -group flags, install the plugin instead.
• Node.js 18+ is now required. The Go binary is no longer distributed.
• Flag names changed. -nl is now --skip-lower, -ns is now --skip-sort, -out is now --output / -o.
• No subcommand. Usage is dotenvify <source> (not dotenvify convert <source>).

Links

License

MIT. Go wild, make millions, just don't blame us when it formats your grocery list.