Use env values

[rabol]

in the config file there are a few key values that should be different depending on the environment
e.g.

<?php

return [

    'cookie_prefix' => env('LCG_COOKIE_PREFIX', 'my_app_'),
    'display_floating_button' => env('LCG_DISPLAY_FLOATING_BUTTON', true),
    'hide_floating_button_on_mobile' => env('LCG_HIDE_FLOATING_BUTTON_ON_MOBILE', false),
    'use_separate_page' => env('LCG_USE_SEPARATE_PAGE', false),
    'categories_collapsed_by_default' => env('LCG_CATEGORIES_COLLAPSED_BY_DEFAULT', true),
    'cookie_policy_page_custom_url' => env('LCG_COOKIE_POLICY_PAGE_CUSTOM_URL', null),
    'use_floating_modal' => env('LCG_USE_FLOATING_MODAL', false),

    /*
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Cookies / Categories Config
    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |
    | Users may override this entire structure by setting LCG_COOKIES_CONFIG
    | in .env as a valid JSON object. Missing keys fall back to defaults.
    |
    */

    'cookies_config' => array_replace_recursive(

        // DEFAULT structure:
        [
            'cookies' => [
                'strictly_necessary' => [
                    [
                        'name' => 'my_app_cookies_consent',
                        'description' => 'cookies_consent::messages.cookie_cookies_consent_description',
                        'duration' => 'cookies_consent::messages.years',
                        'duration_count' => 1,
                        'policy_external_link' => null,
                    ],
                    [
                        'name' => 'XSRF-TOKEN',
                        'description' => 'cookies_consent::messages.cookie_xsrf_token_description',
                        'duration' => 'cookies_consent::messages.hours',
                        'duration_count' => 2,
                        'policy_external_link' => null,
                    ],
                    [
                        'name' => 'laravel_session',
                        'description' => 'cookies_consent::messages.cookie_laravel_session_description',
                        'duration' => 'cookies_consent::messages.hours',
                        'duration_count' => 2,
                        'policy_external_link' => null,
                    ],
                ],
            ],
            'enabled' => ['strictly_necessary'],
            'required' => ['strictly_necessary'],
        ],

        // JSON override:
        json_decode(env('LCG_COOKIES_CONFIG', '{}'), true)
    ),

    /*
     * Cookie lifetime in days
     */
    'cookie_lifetime' => env('LCG_COOKIE_LIFETIME', 365),
];

and an example .env

###############################################################################
# LCG — Laravel Cookie Governance
# Configure cookie categories, consent behavior, UI behavior, and overrides.
###############################################################################

# Prefix applied to all LCG-managed cookies.
LCG_COOKIE_PREFIX="my_app_"

# Display the floating consent button (true/false)
LCG_DISPLAY_FLOATING_BUTTON=true

# Hide the floating button on mobile devices (true/false)
LCG_HIDE_FLOATING_BUTTON_ON_MOBILE=false

# Use a separate page (instead of modal) for cookie explanations (true/false)
LCG_USE_SEPARATE_PAGE=false

# Collapse optional categories by default (true/false)
LCG_CATEGORIES_COLLAPSED_BY_DEFAULT=true

# Custom cookie policy URL (null or URL). Example:
# LCG_COOKIE_POLICY_PAGE_CUSTOM_URL="https://yoursite.com/privacy"
LCG_COOKIE_POLICY_PAGE_CUSTOM_URL=null

# Disable modal behavior and use floating dialog instead (true/false)
LCG_USE_FLOATING_MODAL=false

# Lifetime of stored cookie consent, in days.
LCG_COOKIE_LIFETIME=365


###############################################################################
# Cookie Categories & Definitions (JSON Override)
#
# LCG_COOKIES_CONFIG allows overriding categories, cookies, enabled sets,
# or required categories using JSON. Missing keys fall back to defaults.
#
# Example shown below is the full default configuration.
# When customizing, keep it on a single line and valid JSON.
###############################################################################

# LCG_COOKIES_CONFIG={"cookies":{"strictly_necessary":[{"name":"my_app_cookies_consent","description":"cookies_consent::messages.cookie_cookies_consent_description","duration":"cookies_consent::messages.years","duration_count":1,"policy_external_link":null},{"name":"XSRF-TOKEN","description":"cookies_consent::messages.cookie_xsrf_token_description","duration":"cookies_consent::messages.hours","duration_count":2,"policy_external_link":null},{"name":"laravel_session","description":"cookies_consent::messages.cookie_laravel_session_description","duration":"cookies_consent::messages.hours","duration_count":2,"policy_external_link":null}]},"enabled":["strictly_necessary"],"required":["strictly_necessary"]}

IMO, this will give the following benefits
No need to publish the config file
If new config options is introduced the user will have valid defaults and simply needs to add x new values to the .env
Different values for each environment.

I have done the above in my app, but the downside for me now is that if a new config option is introduced I have to manually check and merge

[PavlosIsaris]

Hello @rabol ,
Thanks for this very detailed feature request. Indeed, using .env makes customization even more easy.
We will put this in the next release of the plugin (scheduled in early 2026).