Can't access variable from .env file in JS

When I try to console.log DOG, I got Undefined to console.
I installed npm install dotenv.

dotenv version: 16.3.1
node version: v18.16.0

index.js

require('dotenv').config();

console.log(process.env.DOG)

.env

DOG=16

My structure is:

• examples
  • index.js
• node_modules
• .env
• package.json
• package-lock.json

So, env file is not in the same folder as index.js, it is one folder outside.

I also tried in index.js:

require('dotenv').config(); 
const dog = process.env.DOG
console.log(dog)

but nothing. Although, nothing should change in this way.

It is like, index.js cannot read from .env or cannot find it.

>Solution :

The default behavior is to look for .env in the process’s working directory.

If your working directory is the directory where .env is and you run node examples/index.js, it should work.

If your working directory is examples/ and you run node index.js, it won’t work.