requiredotenvconfig

Requiredotenvconfig is a software library intended to simplify and standardize application configuration by loading environment variables from a dotenv file (.env) and from the running environment while enforcing a defined set of required values.

It operates by taking a declarative schema that describes each configuration key: its name, whether it is required, its type, and an optional default. When the application starts, the library loads values from the dotenv file and then from the process environment, applying type casting and validating the schema. If a required key is missing or a value cannot be converted to the declared type, startup fails with a descriptive error.

Key features include declarative schemas, type support for common kinds (string, int, float, bool), default values for non-required keys, and error aggregation that reports all problems at once. Precedence rules typically favor environment variables over dotenv values and defaults.

Usage pattern: define the schema, initialize the loader, run validation, and obtain a configuration object or dictionary that is then used by the application. This approach reduces boilerplate compared with manual checks and centralizes validation in one place.

Notes: It is language- and ecosystem-specific; implementations exist for various runtimes and may integrate with existing dotenv or configuration libraries.

See also: dotenv, environment variables, configuration management, validation.