.env.python.local - [hot]

DB_HOST=localhost DB_PORT=5432 DB_USERNAME=myuser DB_PASSWORD=mypassword

Then, in your Python code, load the environment variables: .env.python.local

# .gitignore .env.python.local

# .env.example - Commit this to Git # Database Configuration DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@localhost:5432/mydb in your Python code

: Variables specifically for the Python part of a multi-language project. : An override meant only for your machine (and committed to Git). The Good (Pros) Extreme Specificity: .env.python.local

If you change a value in your .env.python.local file but Python still reads the old value, you might need to restart your terminal, virtual environment, or IDE. Some development servers cache environment variables upon boot. Standard .env values are overwriting local values