code: def read(env_file=".env"):
      
      try:
          with open(env_file) as f:
              content = f.read()
  
      except IOError:
          content = ''
  
      for line in content.splitlines():
  
          m1 = re.match(r'\A([A-Za-z_0-9]+)=(.*)\Z', line)
          if m1:
              key, val = m1.group(1), m1.group(2)
              m2 = re.match(r"\A'(.*)'\Z", val)
              if m2:
                  val = m2.group(1)
              m3 = re.match(r'\A"(.*)"\Z', val)
              if m3:
                  val = re.sub(r'\\(.)', r'\1', m3.group(1))
              os.environ.setdefault(key, val)
docs: Pulled from Honcho code with minor updates, reads local default
      environment variables from a .env file located in the project root
      directory.