{% raw %} Configuration files should not contain hardcoded values for usernames, credentials, hostnames, or environment-specific settings. Instead, use environment variables, templated values, or dynamic references that can adapt to different deployment contexts. This approach improves: - **Security**: Prevents credentials from being checked into source control - **Portability**: Allows configurations to work across different environments - **Collaboration**: Makes it easier for teams to work on the same codebase without conflicts For Docker and CI/CD configurations: ```diff # In docker-compose.yml - DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/inboxzero?schema=public" + DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL:-postgresql://${POSTGRES_USER:-postgres}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@db:5432/${POSTGRES_DB:-inboxzero}?schema=public} # In GitHub workflows - DOCKER_USERNAME: "elie222" + DOCKER_USERNAME: "${{ github.repository_owner }}" # In Docker images - image: ghcr.io/elie222/inbox-zero:latest + image: ghcr.io/${ORGANIZATION:-$USER}/inbox-zero:latest ``` For sensitive values, consider using secrets management systems for production environments. For local development, provide `.env.example` files as templates that developers can copy to create their own `.env` files, which should be excluded from version control. {% endraw %}