Nuxt.js env Property, understanding and how to use it? - vue.js

Question

following https://nuxtjs.org/api/configuration-env
I have been trying to set up my apiUrl in nuxt.config.js once for the whole project, like:
export default {
env: {
apiUrl: process.env.MY_REMOTE_CMS_API_URL || 'http://localhost:1337'
}
}
adding this in nuxt.config.js, I'd expect (and would like) to have apiUrl accessible everywhere in the project.
In particular, it is needed for the 3 following cases:
with axios, to generate static pages from dynamic urls (in nuxt.config.js)
generate: {
routes: function () {
return axios.get(apiUrl + '/posts')
.then((res) => {
return res.data.filter(page => {
return page.publish === true;
}).map(page => {
return {
route: '/news/' + page.slug
}
})
})
}
},
with apollo, to get data via graphql (in nuxt.config.js)
apollo: {
clientConfigs: {
default: {
httpEndpoint: apiUrl + '/graphql'
}
}
},
in every layout, page and components, as the base url of media:
<img :src="apiUrl + item.image.url" />
As you might see, only thing I need is to 'print' the actual base url of the cms.
I have also tried to access it with process.env.apiUrl, with no success.
The only way I was able to make it has been to create an extra plugin/apiUrl.js file, which injects the api url, and seems wrong to me as I am now setting the apiUrl twice in my project.
I asked this question in the past, but in a way less clear way. I was suggested to use dotenv, but from the docs it looks like adding an additional layer of complication that might not be necessary for a simpler setup.
Thanks.

Answer 1

I think dotenv module really is what you need.
This is my setup:
Project root has a .env file that contains
BASE_URL=https://www.myapi.com
require('dotenv').config() at top of nuxt.config.js
#nuxtjs/dotenv installed and added to buildModules of nuxt.config.js
env: { BASE_URL: process.env.BASE_URL} added to nuxt.config.js
axios: { baseURL: process.env.BASE_URL } added to nuxt.config.js (optional)
You should have access to your .env throughout the project. (process.env.BASE_URL)
I haven't used apollo, but you should be able to set the apollo endpoint with process.env.BASE_URL + '/graphql'

Answer 2

As of Nuxt 2.13, #nuxtjs/dotenv is not required anymore. Read here
The concept that I was missing is that you set up the same named variable in your server / pipeline, so that you have your (always local / never pushed) .env file and a same name variable remotely, not added to your repo (where the value can be the same or different)