[TODO]: .env.default

[Tobbe]

SQLite placeholder and missing DIRECT_DATABASE_URL hint

The pg templates have a prisma.config.cjs that reads DIRECT_DATABASE_URL and db.ts reads DATABASE_URL. The current default DATABASE_URL=file:./db/dev.db is a SQLite path that will cause PrismaPg to error at startup if used as-is, and DIRECT_DATABASE_URL (now required by prisma.config.cjs) has no documentation or commented-out placeholder here. Adding a comment clarifying that real postgres URLs are required, plus a commented-out example for DIRECT_DATABASE_URL, would make the setup expectations clear.

[lisa-assistant]

Implementation Plan

Context: Cedar has (partially implemented) support for three database options, each with different env file handling:

Database	.env.defaults source	DIRECT_DATABASE_URL needed?
sqlite	Base template — DATABASE_URL=file:./db/dev.db	No
pglite	database-overlays/pglite/.env.defaults — DATABASE_URL=postgresql://...localhost:5433/cedar	No
neon-postgres	❌ No overlay .env.defaults — inherits SQLite default from base template	Yes (prisma.config.cjs reads it)

Root cause: The neon-postgres overlay is missing a .env.defaults. The project-files.ts copies the overlay with force: true, so adding one would correctly override the base template's SQLite-based file. Without it, two things go wrong:

1. If the Neon API call fails during create-cedar-app, .env ends up with empty values (DATABASE_URL=, DIRECT_DATABASE_URL=), and the SQLite fallback in .env.defaults causes PrismaPg to error at startup.
2. Anyone cloning an existing neon-postgres Cedar app and creating their own .env has no hint that DIRECT_DATABASE_URL is required or what it should look like.

Fix:

Add packages/create-cedar-app/database-overlays/neon-postgres/.env.defaults:

# These environment variables will be used by default if you do not create any
# yourself in .env. This file should be safe to check into version control.
# Any custom values should go in .env, which should NOT be checked in.

# Pooled PostgreSQL connection string (used by your app at runtime).
# Must be a real PostgreSQL URL — not an SQLite path.
# DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@ep-cool-breeze-12345678-pooler.us-east-2.aws.neon.tech/neondb?sslmode=require

# Direct (non-pooled) PostgreSQL connection string (used by Prisma for migrations).
# Same host as DATABASE_URL but without the -pooler suffix.
# DIRECT_DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@ep-cool-breeze-12345678.us-east-2.aws.neon.tech/neondb?sslmode=require

# disables Prisma CLI update notifier
PRISMA_HIDE_UPDATE_MESSAGE=true

# Option to override the current environment's default api-side log level
# Ordered by verbosity: trace | debug | info | warn | error | silent
# LOG_LEVEL=debug

Note for the implementer: Since Cedar's multi-database support is still being built out, it's worth checking whether pglite's .env.defaults and .env.example are also complete/accurate before closing this — they exist but may not have been reviewed recently. The sqlite base template looks fine as-is.

Files to change:

• Add: packages/create-cedar-app/database-overlays/neon-postgres/.env.defaults
• Optionally update: packages/create-cedar-app/database-overlays/neon-postgres/.env (add a comment above DIRECT_DATABASE_URL explaining the pooled vs. direct distinction)