The tests use the local override, but the source code never knows the difference.

// Overload with local file (ignored) if (file_exists($root.'.env.default.local')) Dotenv::createMutable($root, '.env.default.local')->overload();

Typically, the hierarchy of environment loading looks like this: (Highest priority) .env.development.local / .env.local .env.development .env (Lowest priority)

Navigating Configuration Files: What is .env.default.local ? In the world of modern web development—especially within the JavaScript and Node.js ecosystem—managing environment variables is a daily task. You’re likely familiar with the standard .env file, but as projects scale and teams grow, more specific naming conventions emerge. One of the more niche, yet highly specific, files you might encounter is .env.default.local .

file to store everything—API keys, database URLs, and feature flags. But there was a problem: The Git War:

: Override shared defaults (e.g., PORT=3000 to PORT=3001 ) only on your machine without changing the project settings for other developers.

.env.default.local may confuse other developers expecting conventional names.