A short guide to Config Drift Report
Check the rule, then test the assumption.
Check a configuration snapshot against expected values and explain risky differences. Here is the practical way to prepare the input, read the output, and decide what to check next.
01
When to reach for it
Compares EXPECTED_ keys with their corresponding actual keys and reports values that differ. It is most useful when you are dealing with config drift or wrong profile. Start with the smallest example that still shows the behavior.
- Look for config drift, wrong profile, unexpected default.
- Reduce the example until one observation can change the result.
02
How to prepare the input
Paste a focused example in KEY=value lines. Leave out unrelated noise so the result stays easy to verify.
- Use the accepted format: KEY=value lines.
- Keep the facts that make the behavior reproducible.
- Do not treat missing context as a reason to invent an answer.
Example input
Safe sample
APP_ENV=production LOG_LEVEL=debug FEATURE_PAYMENTS=false EXPECTED_APP_ENV=production EXPECTED_LOG_LEVEL=info EXPECTED_FEATURE_PAYMENTS=true
Run this first to see the shape of the result. Then change one meaningful fact and confirm that the output changes with it.
03
How to read the result
Reports input-derived configuration keys that differ from their declared expectations. Read the finding beside the evidence that produced it. The result narrows the next check; it does not claim to have changed your system.
- Separate the observed fact from the suggested next check.
- Prefer the smallest reversible experiment that can confirm or reject the finding.
- Save the output when it belongs in an incident note, review, or handoff.
04
Know the boundary
A rule finding is a focused lead, not proof that the surrounding system has no other failure.