Import and export

Most projects start with a .env file somewhere. Import brings it into Dopbase. Export gets values back out when something needs the file form.

Importing a .env file

1. Open the environment that should receive the values and choose Import.
2. Pick the file. Parsing happens in your browser. Nothing is uploaded yet. Lines that cannot be parsed are skipped and counted, with the reasons listed.
3. Review on the next page. It lists the key names the file contains. Values are never rendered, not even during review.
4. Choose a mode:
   • Merge adds new keys and updates existing ones. Keys already on the server but absent from the file are left alone. This is the default.
   • Replace makes the environment match the file exactly, including removing keys the file does not have.
5. Validate runs a dry run on the server. You get the result grouped into added, updated, unchanged, and deleted keys. Nothing is stored yet.
6. Apply performs the import. Review the deleted-keys group before continuing.

The review process has two constraints:

• Large files use a full review page instead of a popup.
• The parsed file lives in memory only. Reload the review page or navigate away and the browser discards it. Select the file again to restart. The server receives no changes until you apply the import.

Exporting a .env file

Choose Export on an environment and Dopbase downloads a file named after the project and environment:

payment-service_production.env

Export requires a recent password confirmation, like reveal. The downloaded file contains plaintext values, and nothing about the download encrypts it. Treat the file the way you would treat any credential on disk: move it where it belongs, then delete it.

Which tool when

The CLI does the same jobs from a terminal and also accepts JSON, YAML, and TOML:

dopbase import payment-service/staging .env.staging
dopbase import payment-service/staging secrets.json
dopbase export payment-service/staging --output secrets.yml
dopbase export payment-service/staging --output secrets.toml

The command reference covers the CLI flags, including --dry-run, --replace, --stdout, and --format. Human CLI exports require interactive password confirmation for each invocation. Runner tokens can export their assigned environment without a prompt. The browser remains dotenv-only. See CLI commands. Both interfaces write the same records and create audit events.