Add FRED API key validation at app startup and improve environment variable loading

frontend/app.py

@@ -425,6 +425,16 @@ def create_forecast_plot(historical_data, forecast_data, title="Forecast"):
 def main():
     """Main Streamlit application"""
     
+    # Check for FRED API key first
+    fred_key = os.getenv("FRED_API_KEY") or st.secrets.get("FRED_API_KEY")
+    if not fred_key:
+        st.error("❌ FRED API not available. Please configure your FRED API key.")
+        st.info("Get a free FRED API key at: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/docs/api/api_key.html")
+        st.stop()
+    
+    # Add debug print
+    st.write(f"🔑 FRED API Key loaded: {fred_key[:8]}...")
+    
     # Show loading indicator
     with st.spinner("🚀 Initializing FRED ML Platform..."):
         # Load configuration

streamlit_app.py

@@ -6,6 +6,20 @@ Streamlit Cloud Deployment Entry Point
 
 import sys
 import os
+import streamlit as st
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+# Load environment variables from .env file
+load_dotenv()
+
+# Check for FRED API key
+fred_key = os.getenv("FRED_API_KEY") or st.secrets.get("FRED_API_KEY")
+if not fred_key:
+    st.error("❌ FRED API not available. Please configure your FRED API key.")
+    st.stop()
+
+# Add debug print
+st.write(f"🔑 FRED API Key loaded: {fred_key[:8]}...")
 
 # Add the frontend directory to the path
 current_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
@@ -32,7 +46,6 @@ except ImportError as e:
     except ImportError as e2:
         print(f"Error importing from app: {e2}")
         # Last resort: define a simple main function
-        import streamlit as st
         def main():
             st.error("Failed to import main application. Please check the deployment.")
             st.info("Contact support if this issue persists.")
@@ -43,6 +56,5 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     if main is not None:
         main()
     else:
-        import streamlit as st
         st.error("Failed to import main application. Please check the deployment.")
         st.info("Contact support if this issue persists.")