Environment Variable Generator

Convert between .env, JSON, YAML, Docker Compose, and Kubernetes formats instantly. Supports ConfigMaps, Secrets, and base64 encoding for seamless environment variable management.

6 Formats

Client-Side Only

Auto-Detection

📦

Docker

☸️

Kubernetes

🔐

Secrets

⚡

Instant

Free Environment Variable Generator: Convert .env, JSON, YAML, Docker, Kubernetes Formats

Convert environment variables between .env, JSON, YAML, Docker Compose, and Kubernetes ConfigMap/Secret formats instantly. Auto-detect source formats, preserve comments, handle base64 encoding, and ensure deployment-ready configuration files for modern DevOps workflows.

What Is Environment Variable Conversion (And Why It Matters for DevOps)?

Environment variable conversion is the process of transforming configuration data between different formats used by modern deployment platforms. According to the Twelve-Factor App methodology, storing config in environment variables is a best practice for cloud-native applications—separating configuration from code enables seamless deployment across development, staging, and production environments without code changes.

Professional environment variable management requires converting between formats as you migrate applications. Your local development might use .env files, Docker Compose requires YAML environment sections, and Kubernetes deployments need ConfigMaps or Secrets with base64 encoding. Manual conversion is error-prone and time-consuming—automated conversion ensures accuracy, maintains data integrity, and accelerates deployment workflows by 10x.

Why Environment Variable Conversion Is Critical for Modern DevOps:

Accelerates Cloud Migration

• Platform compatibility: Move configs between AWS, Azure, GCP instantly
• Container orchestration: Deploy to Docker Swarm, Kubernetes, ECS seamlessly
• Infrastructure as code: Generate Terraform, Ansible-ready variable files
• Multi-cloud deployments: Maintain consistent configs across providers

Prevents Configuration Errors

• Format validation: Catch syntax errors before deployment failures
• Secret management: Auto base64-encode for Kubernetes Secrets
• Type consistency: Preserve boolean, number, string data types
• Deployment automation: Eliminate manual config file editing errors

Real Environment Variable Conversion Examples

.env Format (Local Development):

DATABASE_URL=postgres://localhost:5432/app
API_KEY=sk_prod_abc123
PORT=3000

Simple KEY=VALUE pairs for local environments

JSON Format (API Configuration):

{ "DATABASE_URL": "postgres://...",
"API_KEY": "sk_prod_abc123",
"PORT": "3000"
}

Structured format for programmatic access

Docker Compose (Container Deployment):

services:
  app:
    environment:
      - DATABASE_URL=postgres://...
      - API_KEY=sk_prod_abc123

YAML format for Docker orchestration

Kubernetes Secret (Production):

apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
data:
  DATABASE_URL: cG9zdGdyZXM6Ly8u
  API_KEY: c2tfcHJvZF9hYmMx

Base64-encoded for secure K8s storage

How to Convert Environment Variables in 3 Simple Steps

Paste your environment variables: Copy configuration from your .env file, environment.json, docker-compose.yml, or Kubernetes manifest. Our tool auto-detects the source format analyzing syntax patterns—supports .env (KEY=VALUE), JSON objects, YAML documents, Docker Compose environment sections, and Kubernetes ConfigMap/Secret data fields. Handles up to 1,000 variables instantly.

Select target format: Choose your deployment platform: .env for local development and Node.js projects, JSON for API configurations and JavaScript frameworks, YAML for readable config files, Docker Compose for containerized applications, Kubernetes ConfigMap for non-sensitive configuration, or Kubernetes Secret for credentials with automatic base64 encoding. Toggle "Sort keys alphabetically" for consistent output.

Get deployment-ready output: Receive perfectly formatted configuration files ready for immediate deployment. Kubernetes Secrets include proper base64 encoding, Docker Compose generates valid YAML syntax, and JSON output is properly escaped. Download files with correct extensions (.env, .json, .yaml, docker-compose.yml, configmap.yaml, secret.yaml) or copy to clipboard for quick use. Test with our YAML formatter or JSON formatter for validation.

💡 Pro Tip: Migrating from .env to Kubernetes

When moving Node.js or Python applications to Kubernetes, convert your .env file to a ConfigMap for non-sensitive variables (database hosts, feature flags) and a Secret for credentials (API keys, passwords). Our converter automatically base64-encodes secret values per Kubernetes requirements. Apply with kubectl apply -f configmap.yaml and reference in pods using envFrom for instant config injection.

6 Environment Variable Formats Explained

.env Format (DotEnv) - Local Development Standard:

The .env format uses simple KEY=VALUE pairs, one per line. Created by the dotenv project, it's the standard for Node.js (dotenv package), Python (python-dotenv), Ruby (dotenv gem), and PHP development. Supports comments (#), quoted values for spaces, and automatic type inference. Perfect for local development—never commit to Git. Add to .gitignore to prevent exposing secrets in version control systems.

# Database Configuration
DATABASE_URL=postgres://localhost:5432/myapp
DB_POOL_SIZE=20
# API Keys (never commit this file!)
STRIPE_API_KEY="sk_live_abc123"

JSON Format - Programmatic Configuration:

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) stores environment variables as key-value objects for easy parsing in any programming language. Widely used by configuration management tools, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), and serverless platforms (AWS Lambda environment variables). Strict syntax requires proper escaping for special characters, quotes around all values, and comma separation. Ideal for programmatic config generation and API-based deployments. Test JSON validity with our JSON formatter tool.

{
  "DATABASE_URL": "postgres://localhost:5432/myapp",
  "DB_POOL_SIZE": "20",
  "STRIPE_API_KEY": "sk_live_abc123",
  "ENABLE_CACHE": "true"
}

YAML Format - Human-Readable Configuration:

YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) provides the most readable format for configuration files with support for comments, multi-line values, and nested structures. Used extensively in Ansible playbooks, Kubernetes manifests, Docker Compose files, and CI/CD configurations. Indentation-sensitive (use 2 spaces, never tabs), supports complex data types including lists and objects, and allows inline comments. Industry standard for infrastructure-as-code tools. Validate syntax with our YAML formatter before deployment.

# Application Configuration
DATABASE_URL: postgres://localhost:5432/myapp
DB_POOL_SIZE: 20
STRIPE_API_KEY: sk_live_abc123
ENABLE_CACHE: true  # Boolean values without quotes

Docker Compose Format - Container Orchestration:

Docker Compose uses YAML-based environment: sections to inject variables into containers. Defined under each service, supports both KEY=VALUE list syntax and object notation for readability. Can reference external .env files with env_file: or define inline for service-specific configs. Essential for multi-container applications—see full specification in the Docker Compose environment variables guide. Run with docker-compose up for instant deployment with environment injection.

version: '3.8'
services:
  app:
    image: myapp:latest
    environment:
      - DATABASE_URL=postgres://db:5432/myapp
      - STRIPE_API_KEY=sk_live_abc123
      - ENABLE_CACHE=true

Kubernetes ConfigMap - Non-Sensitive Configuration:

ConfigMaps store non-sensitive configuration data as key-value pairs in Kubernetes clusters. Created via YAML manifests, referenced in pod specs using configMapRef or envFrom, and can be mounted as files or environment variables. Perfect for feature flags, database hostnames (not credentials), API endpoints, and application settings that change between environments. Apply with kubectl apply -f configmap.yaml and update without rebuilding containers. Read the official Kubernetes ConfigMap documentation for advanced usage patterns including file mounting and selective key injection.

apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: app-config
data:
  DATABASE_HOST: postgres.default.svc.cluster.local
  DB_PORT: "5432"
  ENABLE_CACHE: "true"

Kubernetes Secret - Secure Credential Storage:

Secrets store sensitive data (passwords, API keys, tokens) in base64-encoded format for secure distribution across Kubernetes clusters. Created via YAML with base64-encoded values (our tool handles encoding automatically), stored encrypted at rest in etcd (with encryption enabled), and injected into pods as environment variables or mounted files. Critical for production security—never store plain-text credentials in ConfigMaps. Reference using secretRef in pod specs, manage with RBAC permissions, and rotate regularly for compliance. See Kubernetes Secrets best practices for secure credential management patterns including sealed secrets and external secret operators.

apiVersion: v1
kind: Secret
metadata:
  name: app-secret
type: Opaque
data:
  DATABASE_PASSWORD: bXlzdXBlcnNlY3JldHBhc3N3b3Jk  # base64 encoded
  STRIPE_API_KEY: c2tfbGl2ZV9hYmMxMjM=  # base64 encoded

8 Real-World Environment Variable Conversion Scenarios

1. Migrating Monolith Applications to Kubernetes

Convert legacy .env files from monolithic Node.js or Python applications into Kubernetes ConfigMaps and Secrets for cloud-native deployments. Separate database credentials (Secret) from feature flags (ConfigMap), apply with kubectl, and reference in deployment manifests. Reduces migration time from days to hours—automate conversions for 50+ microservices in CI/CD pipelines.

✓ Before: 50 .env files manually edited for each service

✓ After: Automated conversion to 50 ConfigMaps + 50 Secrets in minutes

2. Multi-Environment Configuration Management

Maintain separate environment variables for development, staging, and production using different formats. Keep .env for local development, JSON for CI/CD variable injection (GitHub Actions secrets), and Kubernetes manifests for production clusters. Convert between formats when promoting configs across environments—ensures consistency while respecting platform requirements.

3. Docker Compose to Kubernetes Migration

Extract environment variables from docker-compose.yml files and convert to Kubernetes-native ConfigMaps/Secrets for production deployments. Preserves service-specific configs, handles multi-service architectures, and generates deployment-ready YAML manifests. Critical for teams moving from local Docker development to Kubernetes production—maintains configuration parity across transition.

4. CI/CD Pipeline Variable Transformation

Convert .env files to JSON format for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins pipeline variable injection. Automate environment setup in CI workflows by generating JSON configs from master .env templates, inject as pipeline secrets, and use across build/test/deploy stages. Eliminates manual secret entry in CI platforms—reduces configuration drift and human error.

5. Infrastructure as Code Config Generation

Generate Terraform variable files, Ansible vault entries, or Pulumi configs from existing environment variables. Convert .env to JSON/YAML formats compatible with infrastructure automation tools, maintaining variable names and values while adapting to platform syntax. Accelerates IaC adoption—reuse existing configs instead of manual recreation. Combine with our YAML formatter for Ansible playbook validation.

6. Serverless Platform Deployments

Convert environment configs to platform-specific formats: JSON for AWS Lambda environment variables, YAML for Google Cloud Functions configuration, or .env for Vercel/Netlify deployments. Each serverless platform expects different formats—automated conversion ensures compatibility without manual reformatting for every deployment target.

7. Security Compliance and Secret Rotation

Regularly rotate API keys, database passwords, and tokens by converting from plain-text .env to base64-encoded Kubernetes Secrets. Automate secret rotation workflows: update credentials in .env, convert to Secret YAML with base64 encoding, apply to cluster, and trigger pod restart. Maintains SOC2, ISO 27001, GDPR compliance by ensuring secrets never stored plain-text in production systems.

8. Team Onboarding and Local Environment Setup

Distribute sanitized development configurations to new team members by converting production Kubernetes ConfigMaps to .env format. Download ConfigMap from cluster, convert to .env with safe defaults (local database URLs, test API keys), and share via secure channels. New developers get working local environments in minutes—no manual config file assembly or credential hunting required.

7 Environment Variable Conversion Mistakes That Break Deployments

1. Forgetting Base64 Encoding for Kubernetes Secrets

Kubernetes Secrets require base64-encoded values—plain-text values cause deployment failures with cryptic error messages. Manually encoding is error-prone (forgetting newlines, wrong encoding). Always use automated conversion tools that handle encoding—our generator automatically base64-encodes all Secret values per Kubernetes specifications. Decode for debugging with echo "value" | base64 -d.

2. Mixing Sensitive and Non-Sensitive Data in ConfigMaps

Storing passwords or API keys in ConfigMaps (instead of Secrets) violates security best practices—ConfigMaps are plain-text and easier to access via RBAC. Always separate: use ConfigMaps for hostnames, ports, feature flags; Secrets for credentials, tokens, certificates. Failed security audits cost companies $millions in compliance penalties.

3. Not Escaping Special Characters in JSON/YAML

Values containing quotes, backslashes, or newlines break JSON/YAML parsing if not properly escaped. Example: PASSWORD="secret"123" becomes invalid JSON without escaping. Manual editing causes deployment failures—use automated converters that handle escaping (quotes → \", newlines → \n). Test output with JSON formatter before deploying.

4. Losing Comments and Documentation During Conversion

.env and YAML support inline comments explaining variables—critical for team understanding. Converting to JSON loses comments (JSON doesn't support comments), making configs cryptic for future maintainers. Document variable purposes separately, or maintain .env as source of truth with comments and generate deployment formats on-demand.

5. Incorrect Indentation in YAML Files

YAML is indentation-sensitive (2 spaces standard, never tabs)—incorrect spacing causes parsing errors: Error: mapping values are not allowed here. Docker Compose and Kubernetes reject malformed YAML manifests. Use automated converters that guarantee proper indentation, or validate manually with YAML linters before applying to production clusters. One space difference = deployment failure.

6. Not Testing Converted Configs Before Production

Deploying untested converted configurations to production risks downtime from syntax errors, missing variables, or incorrect values. Always test in development/staging: apply ConfigMaps/Secrets to test cluster, verify pod startup, check application logs for config errors. Use kubectl describe pod to inspect injected environment variables before promoting to production.

7. Hardcoding Environment-Specific Values

Converting configs without templating environment-specific values (database URLs, API endpoints) requires maintaining separate files for dev/staging/production. Use variable substitution patterns like DATABASE_URL with environment placeholders, then replace at deployment time. Better: use config management tools (Helm charts, Kustomize) that handle environment-specific overrides automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Kubernetes ConfigMap and Secret?

ConfigMaps store non-sensitive configuration data (database hostnames, feature flags, API endpoints) as plain-text key-value pairs. Secrets store sensitive data (passwords, API keys, tokens) with base64 encoding and support encryption at rest when configured in etcd. Rule of thumb: if the value should never appear in logs or error messages, use a Secret. ConfigMaps are easier to read and update but less secure— never store credentials in ConfigMaps. Both are referenced the same way in pod specs but Secrets get additional RBAC protection and audit logging.

How does base64 encoding work for Kubernetes Secrets?

Kubernetes Secrets require base64-encoded values to handle binary data and special characters safely. Encoding is NOT encryption—base64 is reversible and provides no security. Enable encryption at rest in your cluster for actual security. Our converter automatically base64-encodes all Secret values: mypassword becomes bXlwYXNzd29yZA==. Kubernetes decodes automatically when injecting into pods. Decode manually for debugging: kubectl get secret NAME -o jsonpath='{data.KEY}'| base64 -d.

Can I convert multiline environment variables (like SSH keys)?

Yes—our converter handles multiline values for SSH private keys, certificates, and JSON configs. In .env format, use quotes: SSH_KEY="-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----\nMIIEpAI...". For JSON, escape newlines: "SSH_KEY": "-----BEGIN\\nMIIEpAI...". YAML supports literal blocks: SSH_KEY: | -----BEGIN RSA.... Converting preserves formatting—test with diff tool to verify.

How do I handle different values across environments (dev/staging/prod)?

Maintain separate .env files per environment: .env.development, .env.production. Convert each to corresponding ConfigMaps/Secrets with environment-specific names: app-config-dev, app-config-prod. Reference dynamically in deployments using Helm values or Kustomize overlays. Better: use templating with variable substitution—maintain one template, inject environment-specific values at deployment time via CI/CD pipeline variables.

What happens to comments when converting between formats?

Comments are preserved when converting between formats that support them (.env → YAML, YAML → Docker Compose) but lost when converting to JSON (JSON doesn't support comments). For maximum documentation, keep .env as your source of truth with detailed comments, generate deployment formats on-demand, and maintain a separate README documenting variable purposes. Consider using description fields in Kubernetes annotations for production documentation.

How do I validate converted Kubernetes manifests before applying?

Test with kubectl apply --dry-run=client -f configmap.yaml to validate syntax without applying to cluster. Use kubectl apply --dry-run=server -f configmap.yaml for server-side validation including admission controllers. Verify YAML syntax with yamllint or our YAML formatter. Check base64 encoding by decoding Secret values manually. Always test in dev/staging before production deployment.

Can I automate environment variable conversion in CI/CD pipelines?

Yes—integrate conversion into GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or CircleCI workflows. Store .env templates in repo, use conversion tools (or scripting) to generate Kubernetes manifests during deployment stages, and apply automatically via kubectl. Example workflow: checkout code → load .env template → inject secrets from CI variables → convert to ConfigMap/Secret YAML → apply to cluster. Eliminates manual config updates—ensures consistency across deployments. Review our conversion logic for integration examples.

What's the best format for local development vs production?

Local development: Use .env files—simple, readable, supported by all language frameworks (Node.js dotenv, Python python-dotenv). Never commit to Git (add to .gitignore). Docker Compose: Use YAML environment sections or reference external .env files for multi-container apps. Production Kubernetes: Use ConfigMaps for non-sensitive config, Secrets for credentials with base64 encoding and encryption at rest. CI/CD: Use JSON for easy parsing and variable injection. Convert between formats as you promote through environments—maintains consistency while respecting platform requirements.

Advanced Environment Variable Management Strategies

Template-Based Config Management

Use templating engines (Helm, Kustomize, Jsonnet) to maintain one config template with placeholders for environment-specific values. Generate final configs during deployment by injecting values from CI/CD variables—eliminates duplicate config files across environments. Reduces maintenance overhead by 80% and prevents configuration drift between dev/staging/prod.

Secret Management Integration

Integrate with dedicated secret managers (HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault) instead of storing secrets in Kubernetes. Convert .env to secret manager format, reference via External Secrets Operator or CSI driver, and inject into pods at runtime. Provides audit logging, automatic rotation, and centralized access control for production security.

Configuration Validation Schemas

Define JSON schemas or validation rules for required environment variables. Validate converted configs against schemas during CI/CD—catch missing variables, type mismatches, or invalid values before deployment. Prevents runtime failures from misconfiguration and ensures all required settings are present in every environment.

Git-Encrypted Config Storage

Store encrypted configs in Git using tools like git-crypt, SOPS, or Sealed Secrets. Commit encrypted .env files, decrypt during CI/CD, convert to platform-specific formats, and deploy. Provides version control for configs without exposing secrets—enables GitOps workflows while maintaining security. Audit config changes via Git history.

Automated Config Drift Detection

Monitor running Kubernetes ConfigMaps/Secrets against source .env files to detect manual changes. Schedule periodic checks comparing cluster configs to Git-tracked templates—alert when drift detected. Prevents unauthorized config changes and ensures deployments match version-controlled configuration state for compliance and reproducibility.

Dynamic Config Reloading

Implement config hot-reloading: watch ConfigMaps/Secrets for changes, signal applications to reload without pod restart. Use Kubernetes ConfigMap/Secret reloader controllers or build reload logic into apps. Enables zero-downtime config updates—critical for feature flag toggles, rate limit changes, and non-disruptive operational adjustments.

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Ready to Simplify Your DevOps Configuration Management?

Convert environment variables between .env, JSON, YAML, Docker Compose, and Kubernetes formats instantly. Auto-detect source formats, preserve values with proper escaping, handle base64 encoding for Secrets, and generate deployment-ready configuration files. 100% free, no signup required, client-side processing for complete privacy.

6 Format Support

Auto-Detection

Base64 Encoding

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