Git .gitignore

A .gitignore file tells Git which files and directories to ignore when committing changes to a repository. This file prevents unnecessary files from being tracked and committed, keeping the repository clean and focused on essential project files.

Create a .gitignore File

Creating a .gitignore file allows developers to specify which files and directories Git should ignore in a repository. This file should be placed in the root directory of the Git repository:

# For macOS/Linux/Unix:
touch .gitignore

# For Windows Command Prompt:
echo.>.gitignore

# For Windows PowerShell:
New-Item .gitignore -ItemType File

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These commands create an empty .gitignore file in the current directory. Once created, the file can be opened and edited to add patterns for files and directories to ignore in Git.

.gitignore File Patterns and Format

The .gitignore file uses specific patterns to match files and directories. Each pattern is written on a separate line, and Git processes these patterns from top to bottom.

Syntax Rules

The .gitignore file follows these key syntax rules:

• # for comments: Lines starting with # are treated as comments and are ignored by Git
• *, ?, [] for wildcards:
  • * matches any number of characters
  • ? matches a single character
  • [] matches any character within the brackets
• / for directory targeting: Use / to specify directories or paths
• ! to negate a pattern: Use ! at the beginning of a line to create exceptions to ignored patterns

Example Block

# Ignore all log files
*.log

# Ignore temporary files
temp/

# Ignore all .txt files in the root directory only
/*.txt

# Ignore all files in the build directory
build/

# Exception: don't ignore important.log
!important.log

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Local & Personal Ignore Rules

For files that should be ignored only on a local machine and not shared with other developers, there are two options:

• Local .gitignore: Add patterns to .git/info/exclude in the repository
• Global .gitignore: Set up a global ignore file using:

git config --global core.excludesfile ~/.gitignore_global

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This allows developers to ignore editor-specific files, OS-generated files, and other personal preferences without affecting the project’s shared .gitignore file.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to use .gitignore for a folder?

To ignore a folder in Git, add the folder name followed by a slash to the .gitignore file.

2. Where is the .gitignore file located?

The .gitignore file is typically located in the root directory of a Git repository. Subdirectories can also have their own .gitignore files for more granular control.

3. Can you have multiple .gitignore files?

Yes. You can have one main .gitignore in the root and additional .gitignore files in subfolders. Git applies rules from all .gitignore files it encounters, starting from the directory of the file being checked and moving up the directory tree.