Understanding .gitignore

Keep Noise Out

Prevents build artifacts, dependency folders, and OS files from ever being tracked by Git.

Combine Freely

A project can mix multiple templates — a Node/React app on macOS with VS Code needs all three sections.

Protect Secrets

The Env Files template excludes .env and similar files so credentials never get committed.

Local Processing

The file is assembled entirely in your browser from built-in templates — nothing is sent to a server.

.gitignore Only Stops Future Tracking

Adding a pattern to .gitignore only prevents Git from tracking new matching files — it does not remove files that are already committed. If a secret or build folder was committed before you added the rule, you'll also need git rm --cached <path> (and to rotate any leaked credentials) to actually stop tracking it.

Key Takeaways

Root Placement: Save the output as .gitignore in your repository's root directory.
Stackable: Select as many templates as your project needs — sections are combined, not replaced.
Client-Side Only: Nothing about your project is transmitted anywhere.

.gitignore Generator - Build a .gitignore File Online