.gitignore Generator
What It Is. A .gitignore file tells Git which files and directories to ignore -- preventing build artifacts, dependencies, environment variables, and OS junk from being committed to your repository. This generator lets you select from 17 templates covering the most popular languages and frameworks, combine them, and download or copy the result.
How It Works
Each template is a curated set of .gitignore entries for a specific language, framework, or operating system. When you select multiple templates, the generator concatenates their contents and removes exact duplicate lines. Custom rules you type are appended last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:Which .gitignore templates do you support?
The generator includes templates for Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, Java, .NET, React/Next.js, Ruby on Rails, Elixir/Phoenix, Flutter/Dart, PHP/Laravel, Terraform, and Docker -- plus OS-specific entries for macOS, Windows, and Linux. You can combine any number of templates and add custom rules.
Q:How do I combine multiple templates?
Simply check every template that applies to your project. The generator merges all selected templates, removes duplicate entries, and outputs a single .gitignore file.
Q:What is the difference between a template and a custom rule?
Templates are pre-built .gitignore entries for specific languages, frameworks, or operating systems. Custom rules let you add project-specific entries like local config files, generated output directories, or secret files that aren't covered by any template.
Q:Can I edit the generated .gitignore after creating it?
Yes -- the generator outputs plain text that you can edit in any text editor. After downloading or copying the generated file, you can add, remove, or modify entries just like any .gitignore file.
Q:Why should I use a .gitignore for every project?
A .gitignore prevents build artifacts, dependencies, environment files with secrets, and OS metadata from being committed to your repository. Starting every project with a proper .gitignore is a best practice for all developers.