Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Syntax - Tasty Web Development Treats
Wes Bos & Scott Tolinski - Full Stack JavaScript Web Developers
985: Stop putting secrets in .env
47 minutes Posted Mar 9, 2026 at 11:00 am.
Welcome to Syntax!
The Risks of .env Files
Introducing Varlock: A Unified Solution
Schema-Driven Environment Variables
Integrating with Various Frameworks
Brought to you by Sentry.io
Cross-Language Compatibility
Best Practices for Environment Variables
Security Features of Varlock
AI Integration and Environment Variables
Introduction to Varlock and GitHub Actions
Secrets Management and Best Practices
The Future of Varlock and Open Source
Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
0:00
47:08
Download MP3
Show notes
Scott and Wes are joined by Phil Miller and Theo Ephraim to talk about Varlock, a new approach to environment variables that adds schemas, validation, and security to the humble .env file. They dig into the risks of traditional env workflows, how schema-driven configs improve DX, and how tools like Varlock help manage secrets safely across frameworks, CI, and AI-powered workflows.
Show Notes
Sick Picks
Phil: Bela.io
Theo: Wonder Man
Shameless Plugs
Phil: nauticalartifacts
Theo: howtostore.food
Hit us up on Socials!
Syntax: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Wes: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Scott: X Instagram Tiktok LinkedIn Threads
Randy: X Instagram YouTube Threads