---
title: "Env file support"
slug: "env-file-support"
abstract: "Description of the JSS CLI support for .env files"
---
# Env file support

The JSS CLI supports loading environment variables from `.env` files that can be used to populate environment variables.

Variables are loaded from `.env` files with the following priority:

- `.env.${NODE_ENV}.local`.
- `.env.local`, unless the value of `NODE_ENV` is "test".
- `.env.${NODE_ENV}`.
- `.env`.

The CLI automatically expands variables inside of your `.env*` files. This allows you to reference other values. If you are attempting to use a `$` in a variable value, it needs to be escaped with a backslash `\`. For example:

```

PASSWORD=b

# becomes 'adminb'
EXPANDED=admin$PASSWORD

# becomes 'admin$PASSWORD'
ESCAPED=admin\$PASSWORD

```