diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..921752f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+PORT=8001
+MODE=dev
+SECRET=etxrZL_OeyDt6MUawYx8OM_yzSdHNjWT6pohRIVZ4j5bt_tI0fOF5Z_ySf0gprO6
diff --git a/gleam.toml b/gleam.toml
index 8f54e97..b8cf68f 100644
--- a/gleam.toml
+++ b/gleam.toml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ gleam_erlang = ">= 0.25.0 and < 1.0.0"
 mist = ">= 1.2.0 and < 2.0.0"
 gleam_http = ">= 3.6.0 and < 4.0.0"
 radiate = ">= 0.4.0 and < 1.0.0"
+dot_env = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 gleeunit = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0"
diff --git a/manifest.toml b/manifest.toml
index c7eb85a..548133f 100644
--- a/manifest.toml
+++ b/manifest.toml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 packages = [
   { name = "birl", version = "1.7.1", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib", "ranger"], otp_app = "birl", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "5C66647D62BCB11FE327E7A6024907C4A17954EF22865FE0940B54A852446D01" },
+  { name = "dot_env", version = "1.0.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib", "simplifile"], otp_app = "dot_env", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "E7B84DC7B579553AF3B9F0A03B2F8DDB9B44521F553CCFBE633AA595C27F1A05" },
   { name = "exception", version = "2.0.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "exception", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "F5580D584F16A20B7FCDCABF9E9BE9A2C1F6AC4F9176FA6DD0B63E3B20D450AA" },
   { name = "filepath", version = "1.0.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "filepath", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "EFB6FF65C98B2A16378ABC3EE2B14124168C0CE5201553DE652E2644DCFDB594" },
   { name = "filespy", version = "0.5.0", build_tools = ["gleam"], requirements = ["fs", "gleam_erlang", "gleam_otp", "gleam_stdlib"], otp_app = "filespy", source = "hex", outer_checksum = "F8E7A9C9CA86D68CCC25491125BFF36BEF7483892D7BEC24AA30D6B540504F06" },
@@ -29,10 +30,11 @@ packages = [
 ]
 
 [requirements]
+dot_env = { version = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0"}
 gleam_erlang = { version = ">= 0.25.0 and < 1.0.0" }
 gleam_http = { version = ">= 3.6.0 and < 4.0.0" }
 gleam_stdlib = { version = ">= 0.34.0 and < 2.0.0" }
 gleeunit = { version = ">= 1.0.0 and < 2.0.0" }
 mist = { version = ">= 1.2.0 and < 2.0.0" }
-radiate = { version = ">= 0.4.0 and < 1.0.0"}
+radiate = { version = ">= 0.4.0 and < 1.0.0" }
 wisp = { version = ">= 0.15.0 and < 1.0.0" }
diff --git a/src/okane.gleam b/src/okane.gleam
index 61b5455..df646cd 100644
--- a/src/okane.gleam
+++ b/src/okane.gleam
@@ -1,28 +1,41 @@
 import app/router
+import dot_env
+import dot_env/env
 import gleam/erlang/process
 import mist
 import radiate
 import wisp
 
 pub fn main() {
-  let _ =
-    radiate.new()
-    |> radiate.add_dir(".")
-    |> radiate.start()
+  // load env vars
+  dot_env.load_default()
+
+  // only enable hot-reload in dev
+  case env.get_or("MODE", "dev") {
+    "dev" -> {
+      let _ =
+        radiate.new()
+        |> radiate.add_dir(".")
+        |> radiate.start()
+
+      Nil
+    }
+
+    _ -> Nil
+  }
 
   // This sets the logger to print INFO level logs, and other sensible defaults
   // for a web application.
   wisp.configure_logger()
 
-  // Here we generate a secret key, but in a real application you would want to
-  // load this from somewhere so that it is not regenerated on every restart.
-  let secret_key_base = wisp.random_string(64)
-
   // Start the Mist web server.
   let assert Ok(_) =
-    wisp.mist_handler(router.handle_request, secret_key_base)
+    wisp.mist_handler(
+      router.handle_request,
+      env.get_or("SECRET", wisp.random_string(64)),
+    )
     |> mist.new
-    |> mist.port(8000)
+    |> mist.port(env.get_int_or("PORT", 8000))
     |> mist.start_http
 
   // The web server runs in new Erlang process, so put this one to sleep while