Files and built-in tools
Slinky vs .env files
A .env file is how most frameworks expect variables, and it’s simple. It’s also plain text in the project folder, one forgotten line in .gitignore away from the repository, and readable by any tool that looks around the project, AI agents included. GitGuardian counted 28.65 million new secrets in public GitHub commits in 2025.
Choose .env files if
- The values aren’t secret, like a public URL or a feature flag.
- It’s a throwaway project with test keys only.
- Your host or framework needs a real file and nothing else will do.
Choose Slinky if
- The values are real keys, especially live ones.
- You use AI coding tools that can read the project folder.
- You have several environments and want to see them side by side.
- You want a .env.example with names only, kept up to date.
Side by side
| Slinky | .env files | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for API keys and tokens | Yes | Partly: Plain text |
| A project’s .env, per environment | Yes | Yes |
| Starts your app with its variables | Yes: slinky run | Partly: With a dotenv library |
| AI agents see names, not values | Yes | No: Agents can read the file |
| Backup codes that cross themselves off | Yes | No |
| Where your secrets are kept | An encrypted file on your Mac | Plain text in the project folder |
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes |
| Share with your team | Yes: Encrypted files, no server | No: Pasted in chat |
| Opens with Touch ID | Yes | No |
| Price | Free | Free |
Yes Partly No As of October 2026, from blog.gitguardian.com. Features and prices change.
Questions
Do I have to change my app to use Slinky?
No. Your app still reads environment variables. Instead of a .env file, slinky run -- npm run dev starts it with the same variables after Touch ID. Or copy an environment as .env lines when a host’s dashboard asks for them.
Can Slinky take my existing .env files?
Yes. Drop the project folder on Slinky. It reads the .env files (read-only), apps inside the folder too, and shows each environment. Move into Slinky saves the variables, writes a names-only .env.example and puts the .env in the Trash, when you choose it.
Is Slinky free?
Yes. Slinky is free and open source under the MIT License, made by Testament Made, LLC. It runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 15 Sequoia or later.
More comparisons
Slinky vs dotenvx
An encrypted .env you commit, or variables kept out of the repo.
Slinky vs direnv
Variables that load when you cd, from a plain file or an encrypted vault.
Slinky vs Keychain Access
The Mac’s built-in keychain, or an app made for keys.
Slinky vs 1Password
A full password manager with developer tools, or a free Mac app just for keys.
Slinky vs Apple Passwords
Use Apple Passwords for sign-ins, and Slinky for keys and backup codes.
Slinky vs Bitwarden
An open-source password manager and a Secrets Manager for teams, or one Mac app.
All comparisons
Every tool side by side, in one table.