Go to Definition
Go to Definition lets you jump directly from a process.env.KEY usage in your source code to the line where that variable is defined in your .env file.
How to Use
Place your cursor on any process.env.KEY expression and press F12, or right-click → Go to Definition.
VS Code will open the .env file and jump to the exact line where KEY is defined.
Multi-File Support
If the key is defined in multiple .env files (e.g. .env and .env.production), VS Code shows the Peek Definition panel listing all locations, and you can choose which one to jump to.
Supported Patterns
The definition provider understands:
process.env.DATABASE_URL // JavaScript / TypeScript
import.meta.env.VITE_API_URL // Vite
The key is extracted from the text under the cursor using the same regex as the diagnostics engine, so it works anywhere on the line — cursor can be on process, .env, or DATABASE_URL itself.
Example Workflow
- You're reviewing a database connection module
- You see
process.env.DATABASE_URLand want to check the current value - Press F12 — you're instantly on the
DATABASE_URL=line in.env - Press Alt+Left / Ctrl+- to jump back
This eliminates the context-switching of manually searching for the key in the sidebar.