How do you handle environment variables in production?

Short answer: Use real environment variables on the server or container. Avoid committing .env files to source control. In cloud providers, set environment variables in the dashboard. Use tools like dotenv only in development. For sensitive secrets, consider secret managers like AWS Secrets Manager or HashiCorp Vault.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

A ShopNest BFF in Node.js aggregates catalog and price APIs for the React storefront.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.