Environment Variables

A comprehensive reference for the .env configuration file used by OpenVolMgr.

Core Security & Identity

SECRET_KEY REQUIRED

The unique cryptographic key for the Django installation. Used for signing session cookies and password reset tokens.

Do not share this key or commit it to version control.
FERNET_KEY REQUIRED

A base64-encoded 32-byte key used for symmetric encryption of sensitive database fields via the Cryptography library.

SITE_URL REQUIRED

The full base URL of your portal (e.g., https://volunteers.yourdomain.com). Used for generating links in emails.

Database Connectivity

DATABASE_URL REQUIRED

A unified string used to connect to your MySQL/MariaDB instance. Uses the format:

mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/database_name

OpenID Connect (SSO) Support

These variables are only required if you are integrating with a provider like Authelia, Azure AD, or Google Workspace.

OIDC_RP_CLIENT_ID

The Client ID provided by your OIDC provider.

OIDC_RP_CLIENT_SECRET

The Client Secret provided by your OIDC provider.

OIDC_OP_JWKS_ENDPOINT

JSON Web Key Set URL for token verification.

OIDC_RP_SCOPES

Standard: openid profile email

Mailing (SMTP)

Variable Description
EMAIL_HOST The SMTP server address.
EMAIL_PORT Commonly 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL).
EMAIL_USE_TLS Set to True for modern SMTP encryption.
EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD SMTP password or "App Password" (for Gmail/O365).

System Environment

DEBUG PROD SETTING

Must be set to False in production. If True, the application will display detailed error traces to the public, which is a major security risk.