The Correct Way to Use env() in Laravel (And What to Avoid)

By: Tutorial Tools Laravel April 19, 2025

Using env() the wrong way in Laravel can cause major issues in production. Discover why you should avoid calling env() directly and how to properly use config() instead. Includes a real-world WhatsApp API integration example.

The Correct Way to Use env() in Laravel (And What to Avoid) Image

The Right Way to Use env() in Laravel

Use env() only in config files. Then call config() in your app code.

Example: WhatsApp API Setup

  1. Create a config file config/whatsapp.php:

return [
    'api_key' => env('WHATSAPP_API_KEY'),
    'webhook_secret' => env('WHATSAPP_WEBHOOK_SECRET'),
];

  1. Add these to your .env file:

WHATSAPP_API_KEY=your_api_key
WHATSAPP_WEBHOOK_SECRET=your_webhook_secret

  1. Use config() in your app logic:

$apiKey = config('whatsapp.api_key');
$webhookSecret = config('whatsapp.webhook_secret');

  1. Update your config cache after any change:

php artisan config:clear
php artisan config:cache

🎯 Summary

✅ Do This❌ Not This
Use env() inside config files onlyAvoid env() in app logic
Call values using config()Never rely on .env directly
Cache configs in productionDon’t forget to clear cache
You may Read: Laravel env() vs config(): Why Your .env File Isn’t Working in Production

Tags

Laravel

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