node_config -> CONFIG -> config.js -> config

src/scripts/start.js

 require('app-module-path').addPath(process.cwd())
 const path = require('path')
 
+if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) {
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = 'development'
+}
+
 const dotenvPath = path.join(process.cwd(), `.env.${process.env.NODE_ENV}`)
 require('dotenv').config({ path: dotenvPath })
 
@@ -24,10 +28,6 @@ const webpackconfig = require(path.join(
   process.cwd(), 'webpack', `webpack.${process.env.NODE_ENV}.config.js`
 ))
 
-if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test') {
-  webpackconfig.target = 'electron-main'
-}
-
 const registerDevtools = (app, compiler, cb) => {
   app.use(require(
     path.join(process.cwd(), 'node_modules', 'webpack-dev-middleware')
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ const runapp = (err, stats, cb) => {
       logger.info(`PubSweet is listening on port ${port}`)
       serverListening = true
       if (cb) cb(server) // used to enable testing
-      if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'dev' && !watcher) startWatcher()
+      if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' && !watcher) startWatcher()
     }
 
     server.on('error', onError)
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ const runapp = (err, stats, cb) => {
     server.listen(port)
   }
 
-  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'dev') {
+  if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
     registerDevtools(rawapp, compiler, postcompile)
   } else {
     compiler.run(postcompile)