Env Validator
Validates environment variable configurations by cross-referencing .env files against project requirements. Catches missing variables, type errors, insecure defaults, and orphaned entries before they cause runtime failures.
Reference Files
| File | Contents | Load When |
|---|---|---|
references/validation-rules.md | Built-in validation rules and severity definitions | Always |
Prerequisites
- A
.envfile (or equivalent) in the project - Optionally:
.env.example,docker-compose.yml, or deployment manifests for cross-referencing
Workflow
Phase 1: Discovery
Locate environment configuration sources in the project:
- Primary file: Find
.envin the project root. If absent, check for.env.local,.env.development,.env.production - Schema file: Find
.env.exampleor.env.template— this defines the expected variables - Code references: Grep for
os.environ,process.env,env::var,os.Getenvpatterns to find variables referenced in code - Deployment manifests: Check
docker-compose.yml,Dockerfile,k8s/manifests for${VAR}orENV VARpatterns
Report what was found before proceeding.
Phase 2: Schema Extraction
Build the expected variable schema from discovered sources:
For each variable found across all sources, record:
| Field | Source |
|---|---|
| Name | Variable name (e.g., DATABASE_URL) |
| Required | Present in code references or marked required in example |
| Type hint | Inferred from usage (URL, integer, boolean, string, path) |
| Default | Value in .env.example if present |
| Used in | List of files that reference this variable |
Phase 3: Validation
Run these checks against the primary .env file:
- Missing required variables (CRITICAL)
- Variable referenced in code but absent from .env - Variable in .env.example without a default but absent from .env
- Type mismatches (HIGH)
- PORT=abc when code does int(os.environ["PORT"]) - DEBUG=yes when code expects boolean (true/false) - URL variables without valid URL format
- Insecure defaults (HIGH)
- SECRET_KEY=changeme, PASSWORD=password, API_KEY=xxx - DEBUG=true or DEBUG=1 in production-targeted files - Empty values for security-critical variables
- Unreferenced variables (MEDIUM)
- Variables in .env not referenced anywhere in code or manifests - May indicate stale configuration
- Format issues (LOW)
- Lines without KEY=VALUE format - Trailing whitespace in values - Inconsistent quoting (mixing single/double/no quotes) - Duplicate variable definitions (last wins, but likely a mistake)
See references/validation-rules.md for the complete rule catalog.
Phase 4: Report
Produce a structured validation report:
# Environment Validation Report
**File:** `.env`
**Schema:** `.env.example` + code references
**Verdict:** PASS | FAIL
## Summary
| Severity | Count |
|----------|-------|
| CRITICAL | N |
| HIGH | N |
| MEDIUM | N |
| LOW | N |
## CRITICAL
### [ENV-001] Missing required variable: DATABASE_URL
- **Referenced in:** `src/db.py:12`, `docker-compose.yml:8`
- **Expected type:** URL (postgresql://...)
- **Fix:** Add `DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/dbname` to `.env`
## HIGH
...
## Unreferenced Variables
| Variable | In .env | In Code | In Manifests | Status |
|-----------------|---------|---------|--------------|--------------|
| LEGACY_API_KEY | Yes | No | No | Unreferenced |
## Recommendations
1. [Highest priority fix]
2. [Second fix]Error Handling
| Error | Resolution |
|---|---|
| No.env file found | Report absence; check for alternative env sources |
| No.env.example or schema | Validate based on code references only |
| Binary or very large.env | Skip; report as unsupported format |
| No code references found | Validate format and security only; skip completeness |
Limitations
- Cannot validate runtime-injected variables (from vault, AWS SSM, etc.)
- Type inference is heuristic — may misclassify complex values
- Does not check variable values against external services (e.g., valid API key format)
- Production vs. development distinction requires file naming conventions