diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c0a0efb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Python
+__pycache__/
+*.py[cod]
+*$py.class
+
+# Secrets
+config/config_secrets.json
+
+# Environment
+.env
+.venv
+env/
+venv/
+ENV/
+
+# IDE
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.swp
+*.swo 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/config.json b/config/config.json
index 7d434ab8..1f49432e 100644
--- a/config/config.json
+++ b/config/config.json
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
         "update_interval": 1
     },
     "weather": {
-        "api_key": "YOUR_OPENWEATHERMAP_API_KEY",
         "update_interval": 300,
         "units": "imperial",
         "display_format": "{temp}°F\n{condition}"
diff --git a/config/config_secrets.template.json b/config/config_secrets.template.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6153736f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config_secrets.template.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+    "weather": {
+        "api_key": "YOUR_OPENWEATHERMAP_API_KEY"
+    }
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/config_manager.py b/src/config_manager.py
index 2aca9d42..9fe0e817 100644
--- a/src/config_manager.py
+++ b/src/config_manager.py
@@ -3,23 +3,42 @@ import os
 from typing import Dict, Any
 
 class ConfigManager:
-    def __init__(self, config_path: str = "../config/config.json"):
+    def __init__(self, config_path: str = "../config/config.json", secrets_path: str = "../config/config_secrets.json"):
         self.config_path = config_path
+        self.secrets_path = secrets_path
         self.config: Dict[str, Any] = {}
         self.load_config()
 
     def load_config(self) -> None:
-        """Load configuration from JSON file."""
+        """Load configuration from JSON files."""
         try:
+            # Load main config
             with open(self.config_path, 'r') as f:
                 self.config = json.load(f)
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            print(f"Configuration file not found at {self.config_path}")
-            raise
+
+            # Load and merge secrets if they exist
+            if os.path.exists(self.secrets_path):
+                with open(self.secrets_path, 'r') as f:
+                    secrets = json.load(f)
+                    # Deep merge secrets into config
+                    self._deep_merge(self.config, secrets)
+            
+        except FileNotFoundError as e:
+            if str(e).find('config_secrets.json') == -1:  # Only raise if main config is missing
+                print(f"Configuration file not found at {self.config_path}")
+                raise
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
             print("Error parsing configuration file")
             raise
 
+    def _deep_merge(self, target: Dict, source: Dict) -> None:
+        """Deep merge source dict into target dict."""
+        for key, value in source.items():
+            if key in target and isinstance(target[key], dict) and isinstance(value, dict):
+                self._deep_merge(target[key], value)
+            else:
+                target[key] = value
+
     def get_timezone(self) -> str:
         """Get the configured timezone."""
         return self.config.get('timezone', 'UTC')