Guide · Reviewed 2026-09-04
Environment Variables in Next.js, Vite, Docker, and Tauri
Next.js, Vite, Docker, and Tauri do not treat environment variables identically. Next.js and Vite can replace selected values during a web build, Docker can inject runtime container values, and Tauri separates webview build configuration from native application behavior. Always verify load order and client-exposure rules for the exact tool version.
Written and reviewed by EnvDesk product team. Last updated .
How do Next.js and Vite expose browser values?
Both require explicit public prefixes for normal client bundles: NEXT_PUBLIC_ in Next.js and VITE_ in Vite. A public prefix means the value can become part of shipped JavaScript, so it must never be treated as a secret.
How does Docker differ?
Docker supports build arguments, image-level environment declarations, Compose interpolation, env files, and runtime injection. These occur at different phases; copying secrets into an image layer is not equivalent to injecting them at runtime.
What changes in Tauri?
Tauri combines a web frontend with a native process. Frontend build variables can be exposed like any other web bundle, while native-side configuration follows the language, operating system, and Tauri APIs used by the application.