To use user secrets, you must first initialize your project. This adds a UserSecretsId to your .csproj file, which maps your project to a specific folder in your local user profile.
Once initialized, secrets are stored in a secrets.json file located in your user profile folder (e.g., %APPDATA%\Microsoft\UserSecrets\ on Windows or ~/.microsoft/usersecrets/ on macOS/Linux). How to manage user secrets in ASP.NET Core
Storing sensitive data like API keys, database connection strings, or passwords directly in your code or appsettings.json is a major security risk. If you accidentally commit these files to source control (like GitHub ), anyone with access to the repository can see them. To use user secrets, you must first initialize your project
Adding them directly to the secrets.json file that opens after you select Manage User Secrets . Via .NET CLI: Use the set command to add individual keys: Storing sensitive data like API keys, database connection
Take advantage of user secrets management in ASP.NET Core to prevent the sharing of sensitive application data in your projects. . EP 36 : How to manage User Secrets in ASP.NET Core Web API