docker-compose .env vs direnv .envrc

I use the following setup to have variables available during dev from .envrc but using a docker-compose file for deployment:

In ./secrets define your variables as docker-compose needs them (without export):

foo=bar
secret_var=secret
...

In ./envrc export them to your shell:

#!bash
set -a
. ./secrets
set +a

set -a makes everything export by default, set +a turns this off afterwards.

Here is an alternative solution based on the comment chain for this answer

direnv ships with a stdlib that can be used to support classical 'dotenv' settings

# myproject/.envrc - name of current file

# Usage: 
# dotenv <optionalPathToDotEnvFile> or defaults to .env
dotenv

# myproject/.env
FOO=BAR

this is especially helpful when using container systems like docker that support the dotenv style