diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ed2036
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+URL="http://snf-23385.ok-kno.grnetcloud.net"
+BASE_URL="/"
diff --git a/docusaurus.config.js b/docusaurus.config.js
index 2edc9a5..5fc1466 100644
--- a/docusaurus.config.js
+++ b/docusaurus.config.js
@@ -5,13 +5,23 @@ const lightCodeTheme = require('prism-react-renderer/themes/github');
 const darkCodeTheme = require('prism-react-renderer/themes/dracula');
 const math = require('remark-math');
 const katex = require('rehype-katex');
+const dotenv = require('dotenv');
+
+// load env variables (see .env file)
+const env = dotenv.config();
+if (env.error) {
+  throw env.error;
+}
+
+console.info("ENV VARIABLES:");
+console.info(env.parsed);
 
 /** @type {import('@docusaurus/types').Config} */
 const config = {
   title: 'OpenAIRE Research Graph Documentation',
   tagline: 'Open Access Infrastructure for Research in Europe',
-  url: 'http://snf-23385.ok-kno.grnetcloud.net',
-  baseUrl: '/', // serve the website at route
+  url: process.env.URL,
+  baseUrl: process.env.BASE_URL, // serve the website at route
   onBrokenLinks: 'throw',
   onBrokenMarkdownLinks: 'warn',
   favicon: 'img/favicon.ico',
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 7203b12..6ef2d92 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         "@docusaurus/preset-classic": "^2.2.0",
         "@mdx-js/react": "^1.6.22",
         "clsx": "^1.2.1",
+        "dotenv": "^16.0.3",
         "hast-util-is-element": "^1.1.0",
         "prism-react-renderer": "^1.3.5",
         "react": "^17.0.2",
@@ -5422,6 +5423,14 @@
         "node": ">=8"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-7GO6HghkA5fYG9TYnNxi14/7K9f5occMlp3zXAuSxn7CKCxt9xbNWG7yF8hTCSUchlfWSe3uLmlPfigevRItzQ==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/duplexer": {
       "version": "0.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexer/-/duplexer-0.1.2.tgz",
@@ -16363,6 +16372,11 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-7GO6HghkA5fYG9TYnNxi14/7K9f5occMlp3zXAuSxn7CKCxt9xbNWG7yF8hTCSUchlfWSe3uLmlPfigevRItzQ=="
+    },
     "duplexer": {
       "version": "0.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexer/-/duplexer-0.1.2.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e022bb7..80eff8b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     "@docusaurus/preset-classic": "^2.2.0",
     "@mdx-js/react": "^1.6.22",
     "clsx": "^1.2.1",
+    "dotenv": "^16.0.3",
     "hast-util-is-element": "^1.1.0",
     "prism-react-renderer": "^1.3.5",
     "react": "^17.0.2",