Here’s a handy tip: create Phoenix configurations that live only on your machine, not in version control.
I use this for setting machine-specific domain names. It’s ideal for any development settings that shouldn’t live in your shared repository.
First, add this snippet at the bottom of config.exs:
if File.exists?("#{__DIR__}/#{config_env()}.local.exs") do
import_config "#{config_env()}.local.exs"
end
Create a file named dev.local.exs and Phoenix will load it. Add this to your .gitignore to keep it local:
# Ignore local environment configs
*.local.exs
Your machine-specific settings won’t touch production or bother teammates. Common uses:
- Local database credentials
- Custom domain names (like
dev.localhost) - Local service endpoints
- Personal log levels
Everyone on your team can customize their environment without stepping on each other’s toes. Enjoy!