remix-dev/cli loadEnv should be before readConfig(), In order to use environment variables in remix.config.js

[jackyleefu]

What version of Remix are you using?

1.3.2

Steps to Reproduce

233: let config = await readConfig(remixRoot);
...
236: await loadEnv(config.rootDirectory);

Expected Behavior

236: await loadEnv(config.rootDirectory);
...
233: let config = await readConfig(remixRoot);

Actual Behavior

233: let config = await readConfig(remixRoot);
...
236: await loadEnv(config.rootDirectory);

[sergiodxa]

If this is changed. Then the behavior is Remix.config.js would change based on the server, on Remix App Server it will get env variable from .env but on the rest it will not.

I think it’s better to keep it on the current way IMO.

[kiliman]

I agree. Not sure why you would need to define environment variables in remix.config. There are many ways to do this already: .env, cross-env, platform UI (set for production), etc.

[jackyleefu]

Because I need to load custom routes from database in remix.config.js, and database connection string is in environment variable, although I can use cross-env, it has to be like this:

dev: cross-env DOTENV_CONFIG_PATH=.env.local node -r dotenv/config node_modules/@remix-run/dev/cli.js dev

build: node -r dotenv/config node_modules/@remix-run/dev/cli.js build

[sergiodxa]

Because I need to load custom routes from database in remix.config.js, and database connection string is in environment variable, although I can use cross-env, it has to be like this:

dev: cross-env DOTENV_CONFIG_PATH=.env.local node -r dotenv/config node_modules/@remix-run/dev/cli.js dev

build: node -r dotenv/config node_modules/@remix-run/dev/cli.js build

You can call dotenv yourself in remix.config.js

require("dotenv/config")
module.exports = {
  routes(defineRoutes) {
    // here use process.env and access the variables from the .env file
  }
  ...more config
}

[kiliman]

You can call dotenv yourself in remix.config.js

One of the benefits of using actual JS files for config instead of JSON.

[machour]

Converting this to a Proposal discussion, as per our Development Process.