Config Secrets Environments
Purpose
Use this skill when behavior depends on configuration or secrets. The goal is explicit config ownership, validation, and environment parity without exposing credentials.
Inventory
Collect:
- Config files and env var declarations.
- Runtime readers and startup wiring.
- Secret sources: env, secret manager, local keychain, BYOK storage.
- Environment matrix: local, test, dev, staging, prod.
- Rotation, revocation, and audit requirements.
- Existing
.env.example, schema, docs, and CI checks.
Never print real secrets. Redact values and report only names, source type, and wiring status.
Design Rules
- Define a schema for required and optional config.
- Fail closed for missing critical config; do not silently fall back to insecure or broad behavior.
- Keep defaults safe for local development and explicit for production.
- Separate build-time and runtime config.
- Keep tenant/user-provided keys isolated from platform keys.
- Document rotation and revocation paths.
- Verify config is wired into startup, not only declared.
Environment Matrix
Use this shape:
| Key | Local | Test | Staging | Prod | Secret? | Owner | Rotation |
|---|
Mark unknown values as unknown. Do not infer a production value from local files.
Output Shape
config_inventory:
environment_matrix:
secret_flows:
validation_and_startup_wiring:
drift_checks:
rotation_plan:
failure_behavior:
verification_commands: