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Environment Variables

Here’s a detailed guide for setting up environment variables.

Setting Up Environment Variables​

1. Create the .env File​

  1. Copy the .env.example file.
  2. Create a new .env file in the same directory.
  3. Populate the .env file with the following variables:
DATABASE_URL="mongodb://localhost:27017/next-starter"
NEXTAUTH_SECRET="Generate a random string with openssl rand -base64 32"
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID="GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID"
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET="GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET"
GITHUB_CLIENT_ID="GITHUB_CLIENT_ID"
GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET="GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET"
REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379
SESSION_SECRET="Generate a random string with openssl rand -base64 32"
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY"
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID"
AWS_REGION="AWS_REGION"

2. Install OpenSSL​

  1. Download OpenSSL:
    • Visit the official OpenSSL website: https://www.openssl.org/.
    • Download the version compatible with your operating system.
  2. Install OpenSSL:
    • Follow the installation instructions for your OS.
  3. Set Up OpenSSL Path:
    • Add the OpenSSL installation path to your system’s environment variables.
  4. Verify Installation:
    • Open a terminal or command prompt and run: 
      openssl version
    • If the version is displayed, OpenSSL is installed correctly.

3. Generate Random Strings for Secrets​

  1. Generate a random string for NEXTAUTH_SECRET: 
    openssl rand -base64 32
    • Copy the output and paste it as the value for NEXTAUTH_SECRET in the .env file.
  2. Generate a random string for SESSION_SECRET: 
    openssl rand -base64 32
    • Copy the output and paste it as the value for SESSION_SECRET in the .env file.

4. Set Up MongoDB​

  1. Sign Up/Log In:
  2. Create a New Project:
    • Click on New Project.
    • Name your project (e.g., next-starter).
    • Add yourself as a member.
  3. Create a Cluster:
    • Click on Build a Cluster.
    • Select the free tier (M0).
    • Choose your preferred cloud provider and region.
    • Click Create Cluster (this may take ~5 minutes). MongoDB Create Cluster
  4. Set Up Database Access:
    • Navigate to Database Access under Security.
    • Add a new database user with a username and password.
    • Assign the user the appropriate permissions (e.g., Read and Write).
  5. Set Up Network Access:
    • Navigate to Network Access under Security.
    • Add your IP address or allow access from anywhere (0.0.0.0/0).
  6. Get Connection String:
    • Navigate to Database > Connect.
    • Select Connect your application.
    • Choose the driver (e.g., Node.js) and version.
    • Copy the connection string.
    • Replace the DATABASE_URL in your .env file with the copied string. Update the username and password if necessary. MongoDB Create Cluster

5. Set Up Google OAuth Credentials​

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console:
  2. Create or Select a Project:
    • Create a new project or select an existing one. MongoDB Create Cluster
  3. Enable OAuth API:
    • Navigate to APIs & Services > Library.
    • Search for Google+ API and enable it.
  4. Create OAuth Credentials:
    • Go to APIs & Services > Credentials.
    • Click Create Credentials > OAuth 2.0 Client ID.
    • Select Web Application as the application type. MongoDB Create Cluster
  5. Configure Authorized Redirect URIs:
    • Add the following URI for local testing: 
      http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/google
      MongoDB Create Cluster
  6. Copy Credentials:
    • Copy the Client ID and Client Secret.
    • Paste them into the .env file as GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID and GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET. MongoDB Create Cluster

6. Set Up GitHub OAuth Credentials​

  1. Go to GitHub Developer Settings:
  2. Create a New OAuth App:
    • Click New OAuth App.
    • Fill in the required fields:
      • Application Name: Your app name.
      • Homepage URL: http://localhost:3000.
      • Authorization Callback URL: http://localhost:3000/api/auth/callback/github.
  3. Copy Credentials:
    • Copy the Client ID and Client Secret.
    • Paste them into the .env file as GITHUB_CLIENT_ID and GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET.

7. Set Up Redis​

  1. Install Redis:
  2. Run Redis Locally:
    • Start the Redis server: 
      redis-server
    • Verify it’s running by connecting to it: 
      redis-cli ping
    • If it responds with PONG, Redis is running correctly.
  3. Update .env:
    • Use the default Redis URL: 
      REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379

8. Set Up AWS Credentials​

  1. Go to AWS Management Console:
  2. Create IAM User:
    • Navigate to IAM > Users > Add User.
    • Set permissions (e.g., AmazonS3FullAccess).
    • Generate access keys (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID and AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY).
  3. Update .env:
    • Paste the access keys and your preferred region into the .env file: 
      AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="your-access-key-id"
      AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="your-secret-access-key"
      AWS_REGION="your-region"

Next Steps​

  1. Save the .env file.
  2. Restart your development server to apply the changes.
  3. Verify that all services (MongoDB, Redis, etc.) are running correctly.
  4. Test your application to ensure everything is working as expected.