docs: clarify .env.local loading and idempotency key reset scope

[isshaddad]

Document that .env.local is automatically loaded during dev, and clarify that backend-triggered idempotency keys should be reset with global scope

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Walkthrough

This pull request updates two documentation files. It adds a new "Local development" section to deploy-environment-variables.mdx explaining automatic environment variable loading when running the CLI with npx trigger.dev dev, including file load order and availability via process.env. It also refines idempotency.mdx guidance by making the parentRunId requirement conditional on whether a key was created within a task context, and adds clarifying notes about behavior when tasks are triggered from backend code.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~8 minutes

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 2 | ❌ 1

❌ Failed checks (1 warning)

Check name	Status	Explanation	Resolution
Description check	⚠️ Warning	The description lacks required template sections including issue reference, checklist, testing details, and changelog. Only a brief summary statement is provided.	Complete the PR description by adding issue reference (Closes #), filling the checklist items, describing testing steps, and providing a changelog entry as per the template.

✅ Passed checks (2 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title 'docs: clarify .env.local loading and idempotency key reset scope' accurately summarizes both main documentation changes in the PR.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

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✨ Finishing touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment
• Commit unit tests in branch docs/env-vars-and-idempotency

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📜 Recent review details

Configuration used: Repository UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 7781e2a and 481f256.

📒 Files selected for processing (2)

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx
• docs/idempotency.mdx

🧰 Additional context used

🧠 Learnings (17)

📓 Common learnings

Learnt from: julienvanbeveren
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 2417
File: apps/webapp/app/routes/api.v1.projects.$projectRef.envvars.$slug.import.ts:56-61
Timestamp: 2025-08-19T09:49:07.011Z
Learning: In the Trigger.dev codebase, environment variables should default to `isSecret: false` when not explicitly marked as secrets in the syncEnvVars functionality. This is the intended behavior for both regular variables and parent variables.

Learnt from: nicktrn
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 2155
File: hosting/docker/.env.example:4-7
Timestamp: 2025-06-06T23:55:01.933Z
Learning: In the trigger.dev project, .env.example files should contain actual example secret values rather than placeholders, as these help users understand the expected format. The files include clear warnings about not using these defaults in production and instructions for generating proper secrets.

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Scope idempotency keys globally or to current run using the scope parameter

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `idempotencyKeys.create()` to create idempotency keys for preventing duplicate task executions

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/webapp.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:26:58.661Z
Learning: Applies to apps/webapp/app/**/*.{ts,tsx} : Access all environment variables through the `env` export of `env.server.ts` instead of directly accessing `process.env` in the Trigger.dev webapp

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use the `task()` function from `trigger.dev/sdk/v3` to define tasks with id and run properties

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Attach metadata to task runs using the metadata option when triggering, and access/update it inside runs using metadata functions

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Export tasks with unique IDs within the project to enable proper task discovery and execution

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger.config.ts : Use build extensions in trigger.config.ts (additionalFiles, additionalPackages, aptGet, prismaExtension, etc.) to customize the build

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: CLAUDE.md:0-0
Timestamp: 2026-01-15T11:50:06.067Z
Learning: Applies to **/*.{ts,tsx} : Every Trigger.dev task must be exported and have a unique `id` property with no timeouts in the run function

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Scope idempotency keys globally or to current run using the scope parameter

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `idempotencyKeys.create()` to create idempotency keys for preventing duplicate task executions

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `idempotencyKeyTTL` option to define a time window during which duplicate triggers return the original run

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use the `task()` function from `trigger.dev/sdk/v3` to define tasks with id and run properties

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx
• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `yourTask.batchTrigger()` to trigger multiple runs of a task from inside another task

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `metadata.parent` and `metadata.root` to update parent and root task metadata from child tasks

Applied to files:

• docs/idempotency.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:26:58.661Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/webapp.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:26:58.661Z
Learning: Applies to apps/webapp/app/**/*.{ts,tsx} : Access all environment variables through the `env` export of `env.server.ts` instead of directly accessing `process.env` in the Trigger.dev webapp

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-08-19T09:49:07.011Z

Learnt from: julienvanbeveren
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 2417
File: apps/webapp/app/routes/api.v1.projects.$projectRef.envvars.$slug.import.ts:56-61
Timestamp: 2025-08-19T09:49:07.011Z
Learning: In the Trigger.dev codebase, environment variables should default to `isSecret: false` when not explicitly marked as secrets in the syncEnvVars functionality. This is the intended behavior for both regular variables and parent variables.

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-06-06T23:55:01.933Z

Learnt from: nicktrn
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 2155
File: hosting/docker/.env.example:4-7
Timestamp: 2025-06-06T23:55:01.933Z
Learning: In the trigger.dev project, .env.example files should contain actual example secret values rather than placeholders, as these help users understand the expected format. The files include clear warnings about not using these defaults in production and instructions for generating proper secrets.

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Run `npx trigger.devlatest dev` to start the Trigger.dev development server

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2026-01-15T11:50:06.067Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: CLAUDE.md:0-0
Timestamp: 2026-01-15T11:50:06.067Z
Learning: Applies to apps/webapp/**/*.{ts,tsx} : Access environment variables via `env` export from `apps/webapp/app/env.server.ts`, never use `process.env` directly

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use `trigger.dev/sdk/v3` for all imports in Trigger.dev tasks

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Run `npx trigger.devlatest init` to initialize a Trigger.dev project

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx} : Use logger methods (debug, log, info, warn, error) from `trigger.dev/sdk/v3` for structured logging in tasks

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: .cursor/rules/writing-tasks.mdc:0-0
Timestamp: 2025-11-27T16:27:35.304Z
Learning: Applies to **/trigger.config.ts : Configure Trigger.dev project in `trigger.config.ts` using `defineConfig()` with project ref and task directories

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

📚 Learning: 2026-01-15T11:50:06.067Z

Learnt from: CR
Repo: triggerdotdev/trigger.dev PR: 0
File: CLAUDE.md:0-0
Timestamp: 2026-01-15T11:50:06.067Z
Learning: Applies to **/*.{ts,tsx} : Always import tasks from `trigger.dev/sdk`, never use `trigger.dev/sdk/v3` or deprecated `client.defineJob` pattern

Applied to files:

• docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx

🔇 Additional comments (2)

docs/deploy-environment-variables.mdx (1)

69-80: LGTM!

The new "Local development" section is clear and well-structured. It effectively explains the automatic environment variable loading behavior during development, with a helpful load order list and clarification that the --env-file flag is not required.

docs/idempotency.mdx (1)

431-445: LGTM!

The updated guidance correctly clarifies that parentRunId is only required when resetting keys that were created within a task context. The added Note effectively connects this to the existing "Triggering from backend code" section, making it clear that backend-triggered tasks should use scope: "global" when resetting. This aligns well with the retrieved learning about scoping idempotency keys globally or to the current run.

_{✏️ Tip: You can disable this entire section by setting review_details to false in your review settings.}

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