How should you store and rotate Atlas and R2 credentials?

How should you store and rotate Atlas and R2 credentials?

Credentials are deployment configuration, not application content. Each environment should have clearly identified access and a way to replace it without losing track of consumers.

Keep secrets in trusted configuration

Use the hosting environment’s supported secret mechanism and limit access to the services that need it. Document variable names and owners, not secret values. Avoid printing connection strings, access keys, or signed URLs in debugging output. Use separate development and production scopes.

Plan rotation as a workflow

Identify every API server and worker using the credential. Introduce replacement access, update configuration, verify representative operations, and retire old access according to the service’s supported process. Account for running jobs that may still use earlier configuration. After accidental exposure, replace the credential rather than merely removing it from the latest file. Keep the verification small and targeted: database access and the required object operations.