[FIXED] Laravel - Load different .env file

Issue

I need to load a different .env file, named .env.test under certain conditions.

I attempted to do that through a middleware by adding

app()->loadEnvironmentFrom('.env.test');
Dotenv::create(base_path(), '.env.test')->overload();

to the bootstrap() method of Kernel.php. I also tried to create a dedicated middleware for this and load it as the first one in the web middleware group. But either way, it is loading the standard .env file.

It works if I do it in the /bootstrap/app.php file but I really don't want to put it there.

Solution

I just figured it out: The default .env file is being loaded inside of the bootstrap() method of LoadEnvironmentVariables.php.

To use the .env.test file I had to restructure my initial bootstrap() method inside of the App/Http/Kernel.php file to look like this:

public function bootstrap() 
{
    app()->loadEnvironmentFrom('.env.test');
    parent::bootstrap(); 
}

So the essential part was to move the parent::bootstrap() call below the loadEnvironmentFrom() call.

Answered By - TheNiceGuy