Missing .env.example file , that causing trobule in setup

[CodeMaverick-143]

The backend did not include a .env.example file, which caused setup problems for new contributors and anyone trying to run the project from scratch.
This PR adds a complete .env.example so the environment variables are clear and the onboarding experience is smooth.

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Documentation
  • Added a backend environment configuration template with placeholders and guidance covering server settings, database, AI services, authentication, email, caching, and development/testing toggles.

[coderabbitai]

Walkthrough

A new backend/.env.example file was added, providing a commented environment-variable template covering server, database, AI services, auth, email, caching, and development/testing toggles with placeholder values and usage guidance.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
Backend Configuration Template backend/.env.example	Added a comprehensive environment variable template with sections for server settings, MongoDB URI, AI service keys (Gemini, OpenAI), JWT settings, SMTP/email credentials, OAuth providers (Google, AWS Cognito), Redis configuration, DEBUG_MODE and usage instructions. All values are placeholders with explanatory comments.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 1 (Trivial) | ⏱️ ~3 minutes

• Confirm presence and clarity of required environment variables
• Ensure placeholders are non-sensitive and clearly marked
• Check comments align with actual backend integrations

Poem

🐇🌱 A dotted-line file for setup delight,
Keys and ports in neat, small rows,
Placeholders hop where secrets should hide,
Ready to spring when the server glows.
Thump-thump — configs snug and bright.

Pre-merge checks and finishing touches

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title directly describes the main change: adding a missing .env.example file that was causing setup issues.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

✨ Finishing touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment

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[coderabbitai]

Actionable comments posted: 1

🧹 Nitpick comments (2)

backend/.env.example (2)

44-58: Reorder email configuration keys for consistency.

The dotenv-linter convention suggests grouping related credentials together. Move SMTP_PASSWORD before SMTP_USERNAME for logical consistency with credential ordering.

 # Email credentials
-[email protected]
 SMTP_PASSWORD=your_app_password_here
+[email protected]

---

66-74: Reorder AWS Cognito keys for consistency.

Move COGNITO_REGION before COGNITO_USER_POOL_ID to group regional configuration with other identifiers in logical order.

 # AWS Cognito configuration
 COGNITO_APP_CLIENT_ID=your_cognito_app_client_id
 COGNITO_APP_CLIENT_SECRET=your_cognito_app_client_secret
+COGNITO_REGION=us-east-1
 COGNITO_USER_POOL_ID=your_cognito_user_pool_id
-COGNITO_REGION=us-east-1

📜 Review details

Configuration used: CodeRabbit UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 26aff7c and 33fb280.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• backend/.env.example (1 hunks)

🧰 Additional context used

🪛 dotenv-linter (4.0.0)

backend/.env.example

[warning] 53-53: [UnorderedKey] The SMTP_PASSWORD key should go before the SMTP_USERNAME key

(UnorderedKey)

---

[warning] 57-57: [ValueWithoutQuotes] This value needs to be surrounded in quotes

(ValueWithoutQuotes)

---

[warning] 73-73: [UnorderedKey] The COGNITO_REGION key should go before the COGNITO_USER_POOL_ID key

(UnorderedKey)

🔇 Additional comments (1)

backend/.env.example (1)

1-116: Well-structured .env.example that improves onboarding experience.

The file provides clear, comprehensive documentation for all required and optional environment variables with helpful links and instructions. Organization by feature sections and the detailed INSTRUCTIONS block at the end are excellent for new contributors.

[coderabbitai]

Actionable comments posted: 0

🧹 Nitpick comments (1)

backend/.env.example (1)

52-57: Prioritize logical grouping over alphabetical ordering.

Dotenv-linter flags SMTP_PASSWORD (line 53) and COGNITO_REGION (line 73) as out of alphabetical order. However, the current logical/grouped arrangement (username→password, pool ID→region) is intentionally better for a developer-facing template. Alphabetical ordering would scatter related credentials across the file, hurting readability.

If linter compliance is required by CI, you may need to adjust; otherwise, keeping the current structure is a better choice for onboarding UX.

Also applies to: 70-73

📜 Review details

Configuration used: CodeRabbit UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 33fb280 and 99f1b5f.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• backend/.env.example (1 hunks)

🧰 Additional context used

🪛 dotenv-linter (4.0.0)

backend/.env.example

[warning] 53-53: [UnorderedKey] The SMTP_PASSWORD key should go before the SMTP_USERNAME key

(UnorderedKey)

---

[warning] 73-73: [UnorderedKey] The COGNITO_REGION key should go before the COGNITO_USER_POOL_ID key

(UnorderedKey)

🔇 Additional comments (3)

backend/.env.example (3)

1-116: Excellent onboarding documentation.

The .env.example file is well-structured with clear sections, informative comments, credential acquisition links, and comprehensive setup instructions. This addresses the PR objective of smoothing the onboarding experience for new contributors. The distinction between required, optional, and production-only variables is particularly helpful.

---

8-93: Variables cover the full backend stack.

The environment variables encompass server config, database (MongoDB), AI services (Gemini + OpenAI), auth (JWT, Google OAuth, AWS Cognito), email (SMTP), caching (Redis), and development toggles. Placeholder values are appropriately generic and safe. Comments on lines 28, 32, 63, and 79–80 provide helpful acquisition URLs and connection string examples.

---

57-57: Previous quote-handling issue resolved.

Line 57 correctly wraps SENDER_NAME in quotes (the value contains spaces), addressing the earlier linter flag. ✓

[CodeMaverick-143]

@bhavik-mangla can you review it?