. This allows lead developers to update the "default local" configuration for everyone simultaneously. Security Layering
This filename suggests a "local version of the defaults." In a professional development workflow, it serves as a middle ground between team-wide settings and sensitive personal overrides. .env.default.local
A new developer clones your repo. They see a .env.example file. They manually copy it to .env . They then have to go ask three different teammates for the database port, the session driver, and the default queue connection. This friction kills productivity. the session driver