.gitignore Generator
Generate .gitignore files by combining 35+ built-in templates for languages, frameworks, editors, and operating systems. Runs in your browser.
.gitignore Generator Tutorial
What is .gitignore?
A .gitignore file tells Git which files not to track. Every project needs one — you don't want IDE metadata, build artifacts, credentials, or OS cruft in your repo.
Why This Tool?
Writing .gitignore from scratch is tedious and error-prone. You forget to ignore __pycache__, or miss .DS_Store on macOS, or leave .env exposed. This tool bundles community-proven patterns so you just pick "Python + macOS + VSCode" and get a ready-to-use file.
Templates Based On
GitHub maintains a canonical collection at github/gitignore. This tool carries inline copies of the ~35 most popular templates so you can build offline without hitting any API.
How to Use
- Search or scroll to find templates matching your stack
- Click to add (click again to remove)
- Click "Generate" — a combined .gitignore appears
- Copy to clipboard or download the file
- Drop in your project root as
.gitignore
Combine Layers
Most projects need 3-4 templates. A typical Python web app: Python + Django (or Flask) + macOS/Windows + VSCode. A frontend: Node + macOS + VSCode. Each template is added with a clear section header so you can see what came from where.
Always Add
- macOS or Windows — every project should ignore OS metadata
- VSCode or JetBrains — ignore your IDE's workspace files
- Your language's template
- Credentials — always add a local entry for
.env,*.pem,secrets.json