Environment variables not passing through to turbo command as described in documentation

[cereallarceny]

I've been trying to get dotenv-cli working as per the suggested setup on Turborepo's monorepo handbook. I've got the following package.json:

{
  "name": "xxx-company",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "private": true,
  "engines": {
    "node": ">=18.17",
    "pnpm": ">=8.14"
},
  "scripts": {
    "build": "dotenv -- turbo run build",
    "dev": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect dev --parallel",
    "dev:dev": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect:dev dev --parallel",
    "dev:prod": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect:prod dev --parallel",
    "studio": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect db:studio --parallel",
    "studio:dev": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect:dev db:studio --parallel",
    "studio:prod": "dotenv -- turbo run db:connect:prod db:studio --parallel",
    "lint": "dotenv -- turbo run lint",
    "test": "dotenv -- turbo run test",
    "clean": "turbo run clean && rimraf node_modules",
    "pull-envs": "vercel env pull .env",
    "prepare": "husky install",
    "preinstall": "npx only-allow pnpm"
  },
  "lint-staged": {
    "*.{js,jsx,ts,tsx,html,md}": [
      "prettier --write --ignore-path .gitignore"
    ]
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/node": "^18.17.8",
    "dotenv-cli": "latest",
    "husky": "^8.0.3",
    "lint-staged": "^15.2.0",
    "prettier": "^3.2.4",
    "rimraf": "latest",
    "turbo": "latest",
    "vercel": "latest"
  }
}

I get a very odd error in my terminal when running pnpm build, pnpm dev, or any of the other commands with dotenv --:

 ERROR  a value is required for '--remote-only [<BOOL>]' but none was supplied
  [possible values: true, false]

For more information, try '--help'.

 ELIFECYCLE  Command failed with exit code 1.

Of course, I could just pass the --remote-only flag, but then I get the same warning about the --summarize flag. Without attaching every flag that Turborepo's CLI offers, how can I fix this?

A few interesting notes/things I've already tried:

• Using npm or yarn instead returns the same result
• Using dotenv ... instead of dotenv -- ... returns the same result
• Running pnpm dev and any other the other commands returns the same result as pnpm build - it's not isolated to the build script
• Downgrading dotenv-cli and turbo 1-3 minor versions each returns the same result
• Restarting my editor, typescript, or any auxillery services returns the same result
• Clearing my node_modules folder and running pnpm install again returns the same result
• Running turbo run build works perfectly, but then it doesn't include the environment variables in the build
• Interestingly enough, running dotenv -- pnpx cowsay hello works perfectly fine, so I don't think this has to do with dotenv-cli so much as turbo not using its default flags correctly when unspecified

[mehulkar]

I don't see anything obviously wrong with your setup. If you don't see the same issue with running turbo directly, then this has something to do with the dotenv -- separator and how additional flags are being passed (or not passed). Please open an issue and provide a simplified reproduction repo if you want someone on the core team to look more closely and try running it.

[anthonyshew]

Closing for staleness.

[RaphaelBossek]

I had the same problem in a Docker image that I use for my Turbo monorepo. The environment variables are not passed to node when I use “turbo run dev” and start all monorepo projects in parallel. The solution was to enter the variables used for the respective script (e. g. dev) in turbo.json, as described in https://turbo.build/repo/docs/crafting-your-repository/using-environment-variables#adding-environment-variables-to-task-hashes. In this example globalEnv and env:

{
  "$schema": "https://turbo.build/schema.json",
  "globalDependencies": ["**/.env.*local"],
  "globalEnv": ["NODE_ENV"],
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "dependsOn": ["^build"],
      "outputs": [".next/**", "!.next/cache/**", "dist/**"]
    },
    "lint": {},
    "dev": {
      "cache": false,
      "persistent": true,
      "env": ["IN_CONTAINER", "PORT", "HOST"]
    }
  }
}

[vkouk]

Hello all,

Is there something wrong with my turbo json file here?

{
    "$schema": "./node_modules/turbo/schema.json",
    "globalDependencies": ["**/.env.*local", ".env"],
    "globalEnv": ["NODE_ENV"],
    "tasks": {
        "dev": {
            "env": ["NODE_ENV"],
            "inputs": ["$TURBO_DEFAULT$", ".env"],
            "cache": false,
            "persistent": true
        },
        "build": {
            "env": ["NODE_ENV"],
            "dependsOn": ["^build"],
            "inputs": ["$TURBO_DEFAULT$", ".env"],
            "outputs": ["dist/**", ".angular"]
        },
        "lint": { "dependsOn": ["^lint"] },
        "test": {
            "outputs": ["coverage/**"],
            "dependsOn": ["build"]
        },
        "test:watch": {
            "cache": false,
            "persistent": true
        },
        "test:e2e": { "dependsOn": ["build"] },
        "check-types": {}
    }
}

I have a root .env file where NODE_ENV=local although when doing a console.log from one of my libs such as process.env.NODE_ENV is undefined. I can't find any other docs here, can someone assist?

[RohitLakh]

@vkouk Did you solve it?

[vkouk]

@RohitLakh I had manually to load my .env because I don't think turborepo uses anyhow dotenv behind the scenes.

[RohitLakh]

Haha, just figured out, I had to also install dotenv for express backend

[vkouk]

Yes could also be that case. I am using nestjs btw, but the solution should be the same more or less

[sihamouda]

Hello all
when i set "envMode": "loose", in the turbo.json
then i use "dev": "dotenv -e ./.env turbo run dev", in the package.json
it works

[sihamouda]

it is a workaround because i have a very long .env and i don't have time to hard code all the keys inside the turbo.json

[oknoorap]

I've found the solution:

1. Install @dotenv-run/cli in root, e.g pnpm add @dotenv-run/cli -D -w
2. Change your dev script: "dev": "dotenv-run -r ./.env -- turbo run dev --env-mode=loose"

[angelxmoreno]

your suggestion is a bit confusing. @dotenv-run/cli bypasses w/e we put in the turbo.json file. It looks more like a workaround than a fix

[KuroshHusseini]

I tried fixing it by loading the path to my root .env file and it worked. Not the best solution but its a good workaround:

import path from 'path'
import app from './app'
import dotenv from 'dotenv'

dotenv.config({
  path: path.join(__dirname, '../../../.env'),
})

const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3002
console.log('🚀 ~ PORT:', PORT, process.env.PORT)

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`SP Server is running on http://localhost:${PORT}`)
})

[angelxmoreno]

this looks like it would only work in dev. have you tried building and deploying an app with that config?

[KuroshHusseini]

I will keep you updated once I get there.