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.gitignore file

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Git - gitignore Documentation

File that determines what type of files should not be under GIT source control.

You can have multiple .gitignore files in your tree. The rules will apply to all child folders from where .gitignore resides. And .gitignore rules are add on from .gitignore files that are higher up the folder hierarchy.

Example ignore syntax file extension

# Compiled Dynamic libraries
*.so
*.dylib
*.dll
 
# Ignore directory in all subdirectories that match
node_modules

Further notes

Ignore Directory

Ignore Directory

In all subdirectories

Ignore Directory In All Subdirectories from .gitignore

Syntax

These syntaxes will ignore directory matches across ALL subdirectories.

dir_ignored
dir_ignored/
**/dir_ignored/

Example:

In the following example ALL files will be ignored, with either of the above syntax.

.
├── dir_ignored
│   ├── f1.txt
│   └── subdir-in-ignored
│       └── f2.txt
└── subdir-in-top
    └── dir_ignored
        └── f3.txt
 
4 directories, 3 files

Clarification

Must match directory exactly

The syntax that we used here must match directory exactly.

For example if we add suffix to directory name it WILL not match:

.
├── dir_ignored
│   └── gets-ignored.txt
└── dir_ignored_2
    └── i-am-not-ignored.txt
 
2 directories, 2 files
Link to original

Only next to .gitignore

Ignore Directory Only Next to .gitignore

Syntax to ONLY ignore directory that is next to .gitignore

/dir_ignored/
/dir_ignored

Example with above syntax

  • Anything below ./dir_ignored wil be ignored.
  • ./subdir/dir_ignored/i-am-NOT-ignored.txt will NOT be ignored.
.
├── dir_ignored
│   ├── f2-ignored.txt
│   └── subdir
│       └── f1-ignored.txt
└── subdir
    └── dir_ignored
        └── i-am-NOT-ignored.txt
 
4 directories, 3 files
Link to original

Link to original

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