Env to JSON Converter

About Env to JSON converter

Converts a .env file into a JSON object and turns a JSON object back into .env lines. The parser understands comments, an optional export prefix, quoted values that span several lines and empty assignments. Use it to move configuration between dotenv files, hosting dashboards and deployment tools that want JSON.

How to use it

1. Pick a direction with the two toggle buttons, Convert env to JSON or Convert JSON to env.
2. Paste your text into the input box, or press Load sample.
3. When producing a .env file, open Output options and set Quoting to auto, always or never, then decide on Prefix each line with export and Sort keys alphabetically.
4. Read the output panel, which updates as you type and shows a key count badge.
5. Click Swap direction to feed the output back in as the next input, then Copy or Download env.json or .env.

A small .env file with comments and quotes

# db
export DB_HOST=localhost # local
PORT=5432
GREETING="Hi\tthere"
RAW='a $b'
EMPTY=

{
  "DB_HOST": "localhost",
  "PORT": "5432",
  "GREETING": "Hi\tthere",
  "RAW": "a $b",
  "EMPTY": ""
}

When to use it

• Sending local variables to a hosting dashboard that accepts a JSON blob.
• Checking how a tricky value containing quotes or a hash sign will actually be parsed.
• Generating a .env skeleton from a JSON config that lives in a repository.
• Producing a stable, alphabetized .env from a JSON export so pull-request diffs stay small.

Questions about Env to JSON converter

How are comments handled?

Full-line comments that start with # are skipped. On an unquoted value, a hash preceded by whitespace begins a trailing comment, while a hash inside a word such as a#b stays in the value. Inside quotes a hash is always literal.

What is the difference between single and double quotes?

Single-quoted values are literal, so a dollar sign or backslash stays exactly as typed. Double-quoted values process escapes such as backslash-n, backslash-t and an escaped quote. Both kinds may run across several lines.

Why are all the JSON values strings?

Environment variables have no types, so PORT=5432 becomes the string "5432". In the other direction numbers and booleans are written with String(), and nested objects or arrays are stored as one JSON-encoded value.

What happens if a key appears twice?

The last assignment wins, as in dotenv. Earlier duplicates disappear from the JSON, so check for repeats first if you expected both to survive.

What errors does it report?

Messages carry the line number, for a line without an equals sign, an invalid variable name or an unterminated quote. Names must begin with a letter or underscore and may contain letters, digits, underscores, dots and hyphens.

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