12-Factor App Configuration

Principles

The 12-factor app methodology mandates strict separation of configuration from code. Configuration varies substantially across deploys (development, staging, production); code does not.

Requirements

1. Environment Variables:

   • Connection strings (DATABASE_URL, REDIS_URL), third-party hostnames, and service credentials must be loaded via process.env.
   • Never commit hardcoded connection URIs in application code.
   • Enforced by rule SEC-003.

2. Template Documentation:

   • Every repository must maintain a .env.example documenting all expected environment variables without including sensitive production values.