Use UTF-8 as default encoding #306
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The default value for the `encoding` paramter of `load_dotenv` and `dotenv_values` is now `"utf-8"` instead of `None` (which selected the encoding based on the user's locale). It is passed directly to `io.open`. The rationale for this change is that the encoding of a project file like `.env` should not depend on the user's locale by default. UTF-8 makes sense as the default encoding since it is also used for Python source files. The main drawback is that it departs from `open`'s default value of `None` for the `encoding` parameter. The default value of `None` was a source of confusion for some users. The Flask and Docker Compose projects already use `encoding="utf-8"` to enforce the use of UTF-8 and avoid that sort of confusion. This is a breaking change but only for users with a non-UTF-8 locale and non-UTF-8 characters in their .env files.
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The default value for the
encodingparameter ofload_dotenvanddotenv_valuesis now"utf-8"instead ofNone(which selected the encoding based on the user's locale). It is passed directly toio.open.The rationale for this change is that the encoding of a project file like
.envshould not depend on the user's locale by default. UTF-8 makes sense as the default encoding since it is also used for Python source files. The main drawback is that it departs fromopen's default value ofNonefor theencodingparameter.The default value of
Nonewas a source of confusion for some users. The Flask and Docker Compose projects already useencoding="utf-8"to enforce the use of UTF-8 and avoid that sort of confusion.This is a breaking change but only for users with a non-UTF-8 locale and non-UTF-8 characters in their .env files.
Closes #300. Related to issues #205 and #207. Also see PRs #75, #144 and #161 (merged) which suggested using UTF-8.
@theskumar Does this change make sense to you? We initially avoided the breaking change in #161 but I think it could be worth it in the end.