Variable states
Every variable has a state that decides whether and how it is written to the .env file of its environment. A new variable is always enabled.
| State | In the list | In the .env file |
|---|---|---|
| Enabled | DB_HOST | DB_HOST=db.local, preceded by its comment if it has one. |
| Disabled | DB_HOST (off), dimmed | Not written at all, nor its comment. The variable stays in the vault. |
| Commented | # DB_HOST | # DB_HOST=db.local, with # before every line of a value of several lines. |
Disabling a variable is the way to keep a value around — an old endpoint, a credential for another provider — without deploying it. Commenting it leaves it visible in the file as a hint, ready to be uncommented by hand.
A section whose variables are all disabled is not written to the file.
Changing the state
Section titled “Changing the state”- On the Variables list,
smoves the selected variable to its next state: enabled → disabled → commented → enabled. - In the variable detail, the State field (shown when editing) sets it directly.
The state is a field like any other: it is recorded in the history and merged on its own when two members edit the same variable.
When a .env file is imported, a # KEY=value line becomes a commented variable.