for default environment variables in projects that use a hierarchical configuration system (like those found in certain Unlike a standard
A project might have an .env file that points to a shared staging database. A developer might use .env.default.local to ensure that, on their specific machine, the app always tries to find a local Docker database first, without them having to manually edit the main .env file (which could lead to accidental commits of private data). 2. Avoiding "Git Conflicts" .env.default.local
: In most environment loaders (like those used in Vercel or Node.js frameworks), the hierarchy is: .env.local (Highest priority, user-specific secrets) .env.default.local (Local defaults for a specific machine) .env.development / .env.production (Environment-specific) .env (Lowest priority, global defaults) for default environment variables in projects that use