advancedTop 100 Interview Questions
What's the purpose of `environment:` vs `env_file:` in a compose.yaml?
Both ultimately set environment variables inside the container; `environment:` lists them inline in the compose file, while `env_file:` loads them from an external file. Neither is a secrets mechanism — both result in variables visible via `docker inspect` or inside the container's environment.
Ready to master this question?
Generate a complete walkthrough — background, the full answer in plain language, a working code example explained line by line, a real-world scenario, common mistakes, and how this same question gets asked in different ways.
Sign in to generate a response