diff --git a/.changeset/change-env-names-to-short-format.md b/.changeset/change-env-names-to-short-format.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9519b5a14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/change-env-names-to-short-format.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@baseplate-dev/fastify-generators': patch
+'@baseplate-dev/react-generators': patch
+---
+
+Change environment names from long format to short abbreviations (development→dev, staging→stage, production→prod)
diff --git a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/config-service/config-service.generator.ts b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/config-service/config-service.generator.ts
index 893e8addb..527143329 100644
--- a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/config-service/config-service.generator.ts
+++ b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/config-service/config-service.generator.ts
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ const [setupTask, configServiceProvider, configServiceConfigValuesProvider] =
         APP_ENVIRONMENT: {
           comment: 'Environment the app is running in',
           validator: tsCodeFragment(
-            `z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production'])`,
+            `z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod'])`,
             tsImportBuilder().named('z').from('zod'),
           ),
-          exampleValue: 'development',
+          exampleValue: 'dev',
         },
       }),
     }),
diff --git a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/error-handler-service/templates/src/plugins/error-handler.ts b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/error-handler-service/templates/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
index 0c414484b..7df82f84c 100644
--- a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/error-handler-service/templates/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
+++ b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/core/error-handler-service/templates/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import fp from 'fastify-plugin';
 import { logError } from '../services/error-logger.js';
 import { HttpError, NotFoundError } from '../utils/http-errors.js';
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 /**
  * Handles errors from Fastify route handlers, sending the correct code
diff --git a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/yoga/yoga-plugin/templates/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/yoga/yoga-plugin/templates/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
index 78cd512e5..3eeae47f9 100644
--- a/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/yoga/yoga-plugin/templates/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
+++ b/packages/fastify-generators/src/generators/yoga/yoga-plugin/templates/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { createYoga } from 'graphql-yoga';
 
 TPL_SIDE_EFFECT_IMPORTS;
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 const schema = TPL_SCHEMA;
 
diff --git a/packages/react-generators/src/generators/core/react-config/react-config.generator.ts b/packages/react-generators/src/generators/core/react-config/react-config.generator.ts
index c568bd189..ef25a31a1 100644
--- a/packages/react-generators/src/generators/core/react-config/react-config.generator.ts
+++ b/packages/react-generators/src/generators/core/react-config/react-config.generator.ts
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ export const reactConfigGenerator = createGenerator({
         reactConfig.configEntries.set('VITE_ENVIRONMENT', {
           comment: 'Environment the app is running in',
           validator: tsCodeFragment(
-            `z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production'])`,
+            `z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod'])`,
             tsImportBuilder(['z']).from('zod'),
           ),
-          devDefaultValue: 'development',
+          devDefaultValue: 'dev',
         });
       },
     ),
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ export const reactConfigGenerator = createGenerator({
                 id: 'development-env',
                 destination: '.env.development',
                 contents: developmentEnvFile,
+                options: {
+                  shouldNeverOverwrite: true,
+                },
               });
             }
           },
diff --git a/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/services/user-session.service.ts b/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/services/user-session.service.ts
index 7e9cdaec3..3790d0934 100644
--- a/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/services/user-session.service.ts
+++ b/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/services/user-session.service.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ interface SessionCookieValue {
 const COOKIE_OPTIONS: CookieSerializeOptions = {
   httpOnly: true,
   sameSite: 'lax',
-  secure: config.APP_ENVIRONMENT !== 'development',
+  secure: config.APP_ENVIRONMENT !== 'dev',
   maxAge: USER_SESSION_DURATION_SEC,
   path: '/',
 };
diff --git a/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/utils/session-cookie.ts b/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/utils/session-cookie.ts
index d6513b11c..8a89cce39 100644
--- a/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/utils/session-cookie.ts
+++ b/plugins/plugin-auth/src/auth/core/generators/auth-module/templates/module/utils/session-cookie.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const COOKIE_NAME = 'user-session';
 
 /**
  * Retrieves the name of the session cookie based on the provided request.
- * If the application environment is not 'development', the cookie name will be prefixed with '__Host-'.
+ * If the application environment is not 'dev', the cookie name will be prefixed with '__Host-'.
  * In development, the cookie name will be suffixed with the port number.
  *
  * @param req - The FastifyRequest object representing the incoming request.
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const COOKIE_NAME = 'user-session';
 export function getUserSessionCookieName(
   headers: FastifyRequest['headers'],
 ): string {
-  if (config.APP_ENVIRONMENT !== 'development') {
+  if (config.APP_ENVIRONMENT !== 'dev') {
     return `__Host-${COOKIE_NAME}`;
   }
   // in development, localhost does not support the __Host prefix and should be scoped to port
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/.env.example b/tests/simple/packages/backend/.env.example
index d7b65f04e..e2128e0bd 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/.env.example
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/.env.example
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-APP_ENVIRONMENT=development
+APP_ENVIRONMENT=dev
 DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:simple-backend-password@localhost:3432/postgres?schema=public
 SENTRY_DSN=
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/.env.example b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/.env.example
index d7b65f04e..e2128e0bd 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/.env.example
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/.env.example
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-APP_ENVIRONMENT=development
+APP_ENVIRONMENT=dev
 DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:simple-backend-password@localhost:3432/postgres?schema=public
 SENTRY_DSN=
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/error-handler.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
index db00446b9..4f379cf56 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { config } from '../services/config.js';
 import { logError } from '../services/error-logger.js';
 import { HttpError, NotFoundError } from '../utils/http-errors.js';
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 /**
  * Handles errors from Fastify route handlers, sending the correct code
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
index 06aed1df2..7bf204666 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { useSentry } from './use-sentry.js';
 
 import '@src/modules/index.js';
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 const schema = builder.toSchema();
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
index 036126da1..dacf31708 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const configSchema = z.object({
   // Environment the app is running in
-  APP_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production']),
+  APP_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod']),
   // Connection URL of the database
   DATABASE_URL: z.string().min(1),
   // Sentry DSN
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/utils/zod.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/utils/zod.ts
index 60d00fcb0..222eddcc3 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/utils/zod.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/baseplate/generated/src/utils/zod.ts
@@ -18,8 +18,14 @@ import { BadRequestError } from './http-errors.js';
  */
 export const handleZodRequestValidationError = (error: unknown): never => {
   if (error instanceof ZodError) {
-    throw new BadRequestError('Validation failed', 'ZOD_VALIDATION_ERROR', {
-      errors: error.errors,
+    const formattedErrors = error.errors.map((err) => ({
+      path: err.path.join('.'),
+      message: err.message,
+      code: err.code,
+    }));
+
+    throw new BadRequestError('Validation failed', 'VALIDATION_ERROR', {
+      errors: formattedErrors,
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/error-handler.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
index db00446b9..4f379cf56 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/error-handler.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { config } from '../services/config.js';
 import { logError } from '../services/error-logger.js';
 import { HttpError, NotFoundError } from '../utils/http-errors.js';
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 /**
  * Handles errors from Fastify route handlers, sending the correct code
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
index 06aed1df2..7bf204666 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/plugins/graphql/index.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { useSentry } from './use-sentry.js';
 
 import '@src/modules/index.js';
 
-const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'development';
+const IS_DEVELOPMENT = config.APP_ENVIRONMENT === 'dev';
 
 const schema = builder.toSchema();
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/services/config.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/services/config.ts
index 036126da1..dacf31708 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/services/config.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/services/config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const configSchema = z.object({
   // Environment the app is running in
-  APP_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production']),
+  APP_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod']),
   // Connection URL of the database
   DATABASE_URL: z.string().min(1),
   // Sentry DSN
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/utils/zod.ts b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/utils/zod.ts
index 60d00fcb0..222eddcc3 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/utils/zod.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/backend/src/utils/zod.ts
@@ -18,8 +18,14 @@ import { BadRequestError } from './http-errors.js';
  */
 export const handleZodRequestValidationError = (error: unknown): never => {
   if (error instanceof ZodError) {
-    throw new BadRequestError('Validation failed', 'ZOD_VALIDATION_ERROR', {
-      errors: error.errors,
+    const formattedErrors = error.errors.map((err) => ({
+      path: err.path.join('.'),
+      message: err.message,
+      code: err.code,
+    }));
+
+    throw new BadRequestError('Validation failed', 'VALIDATION_ERROR', {
+      errors: formattedErrors,
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/.env.development b/tests/simple/packages/web/.env.development
index 8dceca42f..d1ae88e8b 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/.env.development
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/.env.development
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VITE_ENVIRONMENT=development
+VITE_ENVIRONMENT=dev
 VITE_GRAPH_API_ENDPOINT=/api/graphql
 VITE_SENTRY_DSN=
 DEV_BACKEND_HOST=http://localhost:3001
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/.env.development b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/.env.development
index 8dceca42f..d1ae88e8b 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/.env.development
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/.env.development
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VITE_ENVIRONMENT=development
+VITE_ENVIRONMENT=dev
 VITE_GRAPH_API_ENDPOINT=/api/graphql
 VITE_SENTRY_DSN=
 DEV_BACKEND_HOST=http://localhost:3001
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/package.json b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/package.json
index 174a07d71..63f78f074 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/package.json
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/package.json
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     "react-day-picker": "9.7.0",
     "react-dom": "19.1.0",
     "react-error-boundary": "6.0.0",
-    "react-hook-form": "7.56.3",
+    "react-hook-form": "7.60.0",
     "react-icons": "5.5.0",
     "sonner": "2.0.3",
     "zod": "3.24.1",
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
index c1912ee63..a02ea558a 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const configSchema = z.object({
   // Environment the app is running in
-  VITE_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production']),
+  VITE_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod']),
   // URL for the GraphQL API endpoint
   VITE_GRAPH_API_ENDPOINT: z.string().min(1),
   // DSN for Sentry (optional)
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/error-formatter.ts b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/error-formatter.ts
index d0ec7c432..33f356751 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/error-formatter.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/baseplate/generated/src/services/error-formatter.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { logError } from './error-logger';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
-function getFormattedErrorSuffix(error: unknown): string {
+function getFormattedErrorSuffix(_error: unknown): string {
   return 'Please try again later.';
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/package.json b/tests/simple/packages/web/package.json
index 174a07d71..63f78f074 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/package.json
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/package.json
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     "react-day-picker": "9.7.0",
     "react-dom": "19.1.0",
     "react-error-boundary": "6.0.0",
-    "react-hook-form": "7.56.3",
+    "react-hook-form": "7.60.0",
     "react-icons": "5.5.0",
     "sonner": "2.0.3",
     "zod": "3.24.1",
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/config.ts b/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/config.ts
index c1912ee63..a02ea558a 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/config.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { z } from 'zod';
 
 const configSchema = z.object({
   // Environment the app is running in
-  VITE_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['development', 'test', 'staging', 'production']),
+  VITE_ENVIRONMENT: z.enum(['dev', 'test', 'stage', 'prod']),
   // URL for the GraphQL API endpoint
   VITE_GRAPH_API_ENDPOINT: z.string().min(1),
   // DSN for Sentry (optional)
diff --git a/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/error-formatter.ts b/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/error-formatter.ts
index d0ec7c432..33f356751 100644
--- a/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/error-formatter.ts
+++ b/tests/simple/packages/web/src/services/error-formatter.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { logError } from './error-logger';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars
-function getFormattedErrorSuffix(error: unknown): string {
+function getFormattedErrorSuffix(_error: unknown): string {
   return 'Please try again later.';
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/simple/pnpm-lock.yaml b/tests/simple/pnpm-lock.yaml
index cb52825ad..f4a544617 100644
--- a/tests/simple/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/tests/simple/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ importers:
         version: 2.2.2(react-dom@19.1.0(react@19.1.0))(react@19.1.0)
       '@hookform/resolvers':
         specifier: 5.0.1
-        version: 5.0.1(react-hook-form@7.56.3(react@19.1.0))
+        version: 5.0.1(react-hook-form@7.60.0(react@19.1.0))
       '@sentry/react':
         specifier: 9.17.0
         version: 9.17.0(react@19.1.0)
@@ -235,8 +235,8 @@ importers:
         specifier: 6.0.0
         version: 6.0.0(react@19.1.0)
       react-hook-form:
-        specifier: 7.56.3
-        version: 7.56.3(react@19.1.0)
+        specifier: 7.60.0
+        version: 7.60.0(react@19.1.0)
       react-icons:
         specifier: 5.5.0
         version: 5.5.0(react@19.1.0)
@@ -5349,8 +5349,8 @@ packages:
     peerDependencies:
       react: '>=16.13.1'
 
-  react-hook-form@7.56.3:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-IK18V6GVbab4TAo1/cz3kqajxbDPGofdF0w7VHdCo0Nt8PrPlOZcuuDq9YYIV1BtjcX78x0XsldbQRQnQXWXmw==}
+  react-hook-form@7.60.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-SBrYOvMbDB7cV8ZfNpaiLcgjH/a1c7aK0lK+aNigpf4xWLO8q+o4tcvVurv3c4EOyzn/3dCsYt4GKD42VvJ/+A==}
     engines: {node: '>=18.0.0'}
     peerDependencies:
       react: ^16.8.0 || ^17 || ^18 || ^19
@@ -7567,10 +7567,10 @@ snapshots:
       react-dom: 19.1.0(react@19.1.0)
       use-sync-external-store: 1.5.0(react@19.1.0)
 
-  '@hookform/resolvers@5.0.1(react-hook-form@7.56.3(react@19.1.0))':
+  '@hookform/resolvers@5.0.1(react-hook-form@7.60.0(react@19.1.0))':
     dependencies:
       '@standard-schema/utils': 0.3.0
-      react-hook-form: 7.56.3(react@19.1.0)
+      react-hook-form: 7.60.0(react@19.1.0)
 
   '@humanfs/core@0.19.1': {}
 
@@ -12014,7 +12014,7 @@ snapshots:
       '@babel/runtime': 7.26.10
       react: 19.1.0
 
-  react-hook-form@7.56.3(react@19.1.0):
+  react-hook-form@7.60.0(react@19.1.0):
     dependencies:
       react: 19.1.0