Env Variants Manager

Env Variants Manager is a Cursor/VS Code extension that helps you manage multiple values for each environment variable inside a single .env file, without losing your existing format or comments.

The main idea is simple: keep different values (for example local, dev, staging) for the same key and quickly switch which one is active.

What This Extension Does

• Shows your manageable variables in a sidebar panel (Env Variants).
• Lets you switch the active value for a key using a selector.
• Lets you add new keys and new variants for each key.
• Keeps unmanaged lines and comments exactly as they are.
• Makes it easier to work across environments without duplicating .env files.

Supported .env Format

API_URL="https://api.example.com" #"http://localhost:3001"@local #"http://localhost:3000"@dev

• The first value is the active value.
• The following values are inline alternatives separated by #.
• Each alternative can have an alias with @alias.

What You Can Do With It (Common Use Cases)

• Keep a single key (API_URL) with variants for local, dev, and prod.
• Switch environments quickly from the UI without editing .env by hand.
• Add new variables with an initial value and optional alias.
• Keep the file clean even when managed keys and manual lines coexist.

Available Commands

• Env Variants: Open Panel
• Env Variants: Reload
• Env Variants: Switch Variant
• Env Variants: Add Variant
• Env Variants: Add Key

Quick Start

1. Open the Env Variants panel from the sidebar.
2. Create a new key or select an existing one.
3. Add variants (for example local, dev, staging).
4. Switch the active variant from the selector whenever you need.
5. Reload the panel with Reload if you edited the file externally.