Answer
.env provides build-time defaults; copying it exposes secrets and breaks environment separation.
Quick Answer
Some images ship with a sample .env file as documentation (shows which variables are expected). But you never COPY .env into the image itself — that would bake secrets into the image. The real .env gets injected at runtime via --env-file, keeping secrets out of the image and the registry.
S
SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.
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Source: SugharaIQ