Can we create Environment Variables for backbone applications?

Question

We are building a backbone application that uses a set of REST APIs. What we want to do ideally is to have different config files for dev and live that are determined by environment variables. Is it possible.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I recommend you to have one file in a way like this:

var YourProject = {};
YourProject.Config = {
   Local : {
     db : 'mysql:dumy:dummy@localhost',
     relativeUrl : 'blabla',
     otherConfig : '123456'
   },
   Dev : {
     db : 'mysql:dumy:dummy@localhost',
     relativeUrl : 'blabla',
     otherConfig : '123456'
   },
   Production : {
     db : 'mysql:dumy:dummy@localhost',
     relativeUrl : 'blabla',
     otherConfig : '123456'
   }
}

And then in your utilities to have something like this:

YourProject.ConfigHandler = {
  getValue : function(key){
    var env;
    switch( window.location.hostname ){
      case "localhost":
      case "127.0.0.1":
        env = 'Local';
        break;
      case "dev.yourdomain.com":
        env = 'Dev';
        break;
      case "yourdomain.com":
        env = 'Production';
        break;
      default:
        throw('Unknown environment: ' + window.location.hostname );
    }
    return YourProject.Config[env][key];
  }
};

So you will have just one file and for call differents API DB urls you will need to call just one line:

YourProject.ConfigHandler.getValue( 'db' );