Gitignore Generator

About Gitignore Generator

Create comprehensive .gitignore files for your Git repositories with our free gitignore generator. Whether you're a developer starting a new project, a DevOps engineer setting up CI/CD, a team lead establishing repository standards, or a student learning Git best practices, our tool generates complete .gitignore files with templates for Node.js, Python, Java, React, Ruby, Go, and 500+ frameworks. Perfect for preventing sensitive files, dependencies, build artifacts, and IDE configurations from being accidentally committed to version control with language-specific patterns and framework-specific exclusions.

Key Features

500+ Framework Templates

Pre-built templates for Node, Python, Java, React, Angular, .NET, Ruby, Go, and more

Multi-Language Support

Combine templates for polyglot projects (e.g., Node + Python + Docker)

IDE & Editor Patterns

Include ignore patterns for VS Code, IntelliJ, Sublime, Vim, and other editors

OS-Specific Files

Exclude system files like .DS_Store (Mac), Thumbs.db (Windows), *~ (Linux)

Custom Pattern Builder

Add your own custom ignore patterns, wildcards, and directory exclusions

Comments & Organization

Generated files include helpful comments explaining each section

Security Best Practices

Automatically includes patterns for .env files, API keys, and credentials

Framework Dependencies

Exclude node_modules, __pycache__, target/, vendor/, and other dependency folders

Build & Distribution

Ignore compiled files, build outputs, and distribution directories

Copy or Download

Copy to clipboard or download as .gitignore file ready for your repository

How to Use the Gitignore Generator

Select Technologies

Choose your programming languages, frameworks, and tools from the template library

Add Custom Patterns

Optionally add project-specific files or directories you want Git to ignore

Preview & Customize

Review the generated .gitignore file and remove or modify any patterns as needed

Download & Use

Download the file and place it in your repository root, or copy contents to existing .gitignore

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a .gitignore file and why do I need it?

A .gitignore file tells Git which files and directories to ignore and not track in version control. You need it to prevent committing unnecessary files like dependencies (node_modules), build outputs (dist/, target/), IDE configurations (.vscode/, .idea/), system files (.DS_Store), and sensitive data (.env, API keys). Without a proper .gitignore, your repository becomes cluttered, pull requests contain irrelevant changes, and you risk exposing secrets or credentials.

Should I commit the .gitignore file itself?

Yes! The .gitignore file should be committed to your repository so all contributors benefit from the same ignore patterns. This ensures consistent behavior across the team and prevents accidental commits of files that should be ignored. The only exception is personal IDE preferences, which belong in your global .gitignore or Git's exclude file.

What's the difference between .gitignore and .git/info/exclude?

.gitignore is committed and shared with all repository users, affecting everyone. .git/info/exclude is local to your repository clone and only affects you - useful for personal workflow files you don't want to inflict on teammates. Use .gitignore for project-specific patterns, and exclude for personal preferences.

Can I ignore files that are already tracked by Git?

No - .gitignore only affects untracked files. If a file is already committed, Git continues tracking it even if you add it to .gitignore. To remove tracked files: 1) git rm --cached <file> to untrack without deleting, 2) add the file to .gitignore, 3) commit the changes. The file remains in Git history but won't be tracked going forward.

What patterns should I always include in .gitignore?

Essential patterns for most projects: dependency directories (node_modules/, vendor/), environment files (.env, .env.local), build outputs (dist/, build/, *.pyc), OS files (.DS_Store, Thumbs.db), IDE folders (.vscode/, .idea/), log files (*.log), and any files containing secrets or API keys. Our generator includes all these automatically.

Is this gitignore generator free?

Yes! Our gitignore generator is completely free to use with unlimited file generation and access to all 500+ templates, no registration required.

Will my selected technologies or custom patterns be stored?

No. All .gitignore generation happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your technology selections and custom patterns are never uploaded to our servers, stored in databases, or transmitted anywhere. Completely private and secure.

Can I use this for GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket?

Absolutely! The generated .gitignore files follow standard Git ignore syntax and work with any Git hosting platform (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) and any Git client. Git ignore behavior is consistent across all platforms.

Common Use Cases

New Project Setup: Quickly generate complete .gitignore files when initializing new repositories
Monorepo Management: Create comprehensive ignore patterns for multi-language monorepos
Open Source Projects: Ensure contributors don't commit IDE configs, OS files, or sensitive data
Team Standardization: Establish consistent .gitignore patterns across all team repositories
CI/CD Pipelines: Exclude build artifacts, logs, and temporary files from version control
Security Compliance: Prevent accidental commits of .env files, API keys, and credentials
Clean Repository History: Start fresh with proper ignore patterns to avoid polluting Git history
Framework Migration: Update .gitignore when migrating projects between frameworks or build tools

Why Use Our Gitignore Generator?

Manually writing .gitignore files from scratch is tedious and error-prone - it's easy to forget important patterns, miss framework-specific files, or accidentally commit sensitive data. Generic templates from search results often lack coverage for modern frameworks or include outdated patterns. Our free gitignore generator provides comprehensive, up-to-date templates for 500+ languages and frameworks, combining multiple technologies seamlessly for polyglot projects. Whether you're starting a React + Node.js app, a Python data science project, or a Java Spring application, you'll get complete coverage of dependencies, build outputs, IDE files, and security-sensitive patterns. No more googling what to ignore or discovering critical files were committed - just select your stack and get production-ready ignore patterns instantly.

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