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env-setup

Environment Configuration Guide

For Reference 

GEMINI_API_KEY=
GEMINI_MODEL=
FIREBASE_TYPE=
FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=
FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY_ID=
FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY=
FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL=
FIREBASE_CLIENT_ID=
EMAIL_USER=
EMAIL_PASS=

1. Google Gemini API

Required for leveraging AI generative models.

  • GEMINI_API_KEY: Obtain this from the Google AI Studio. Create a new API key and paste it here.
  • GEMINI_MODEL: The specific model identifier you intend to use.
  • Common options: gemini-2.5-flash (fast/efficient) or gemini-2.5-pro (complex tasks).

2. Firebase Service Account

These credentials allow your server to bypass client-side restrictions and manage Firebase resources directly. To get these:

  1. Go to the Firebase Console > Project Settings > Service Accounts.
  2. Click Generate new private key. This downloads a .json file containing all the values below.
Variable Source (from JSON file) Note
FIREBASE_TYPE type Usually service_account.
FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID project_id Your unique Firebase project slug.
FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY_ID private_key_id A 40-character alphanumeric string.
FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY private_key Include the full string (begins with -----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----).
FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL client_email Format: service-account-name@project-id.iam.gserviceaccount.com.
FIREBASE_CLIENT_ID client_id A unique numeric string.

[!IMPORTANT] When pasting the FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY, ensure you wrap it in quotes (" ") if it contains literal \n characters to prevent parsing errors.

3. Email Configuration (SMTP)

Used for sending automated emails (e.g., via Nodemailer).

  • EMAIL_USER: Your full email address (e.g., contact@yourdomain.com or gmail_user@gmail.com).
  • EMAIL_PASS:
  • Gmail Users: Do not use your regular login password. You must enable 2FA and generate a 16-character App Password.
  • Other Providers: Use the SMTP password provided by your host.

Notes(If you are new)

  • Security: Never commit your .env file to version control (add it to .gitignore).

    You don't have to do it for this project since it has already been set up already.

  • Formatting: Avoid spaces around the = sign (e.g., use KEY=VALUE, not KEY = VALUE).
  • Production: On platforms like Vercel, Railway, or Heroku, add these via the dashboard's "Environment Variables" section instead of a file.