How can I securely manage API keys, tokens, and other sensitive information in my Python application's codebase without exposing them to version control?

I'd recommend using environment variables to store sensitive data, rather than hard-coding them directly into your application. Also, you can consider creating a `.env` file to store environment variables locally during development. However, remember to add the `.env` file to your `.gitignore` file to prevent it from being tracked by version control systems like Git. Sensitive data accidentally ending up in your repository is the last thing you'd like to happen.

On the other hand, in production environments, I'd recommend setting the environment variables directly on the server or hosting platform. This allows you to securely configure your application for different deployment scenarios.