Environment Configuration

To run the HCG AI application, you must configure several environment variables. These variables handle database connectivity, authentication security, AI features, and automated email services.

Create a file named .env in the root directory of the project and populate it with the following configuration.

1. Required Variables

2. Optional Variables

Example `.env` Template

# Server Configuration
PORT=5000
NODE_ENV=development
SESSION_SECRET=a_very_secret_random_key_12345

# Database (PostgreSQL)
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:password@localhost:5432/hcgai_db

# AI Features
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_api_key_here

# Email Service (SMTP)
# Note: Defaults to hello@in.hcgai.com via Hostinger
SMTP_PASS=your_smtp_password_here

Service-Specific Details

Database Setup

The application uses Drizzle ORM for schema management and PostgreSQL for storage. Ensure your DATABASE_URL is formatted correctly:

Local: postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/database_name
Neon/Managed: postgresql://user:password@subdomain.region.aws.neon.tech/neondb?sslmode=require

AI Chatbot Support

The "AI Chat" tab requires a valid OpenAI API key with access to GPT models. If this key is missing, the chatbot interface will return an error when queried.

SMTP Email Configuration

By default, the application is configured to send automated emails (such as password resets) through Hostinger (smtp.hostinger.com).

If you use the default provider, simply provide the SMTP_PASS.
To use a different provider (e.g., Gmail, SendGrid), you must manually update the transporter configuration in simple-app-server.js (lines 151–169).

Production Considerations

When deploying to a production environment:

Set NODE_ENV=production.
Ensure your site is served over HTTPS, as the application will enable secure: true for session cookies, preventing them from being sent over unencrypted connections.
Use a high-entropy string for your SESSION_SECRET to prevent session hijacking.

Environment Configuration