explaingit

0xdevalias/gitignore

Analysis updated 2026-07-30 · repo last pushed 2020-11-24

Audience · developerComplexity · 1/5DormantLicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

A large collection of ready-to-use templates that tell Git which files to skip, like build artifacts, secrets, and large generated files, organized by language, tool, and editor so your project stays clean and safe to share.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      File skip templates
      Powers GitHub dropdown
      Three tier organization
    Organization
      Root popular languages
      Global editors and tools
      Community niche frameworks
    Use cases
      New project setup
      Keep projects clean
      Avoid uploading secrets
    Audience
      Anyone who writes code
      Beginners and pros
    License
      Public domain
      Free to use and modify

Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Pick a Swift template when creating a new iOS repository so Xcode-generated folders are automatically ignored.

USE CASE 2

Apply a Global editor template to skip tool-specific files across all your projects.

USE CASE 3

Add a specialized framework template from the community folder to ignore niche build outputs.

USE CASE 4

Use these templates as a starting point for any new coding project to avoid accidentally uploading secrets or large files.

What is it built with?

GitMarkdown

How does it compare?

0xdevalias/gitignore00kaku/gallery-slider-block04amanrajj/netwatch
Stars——0
Language—JavaScriptRust
Last pushed2020-11-242021-05-19—
MaintenanceDormantDormant—
Setup difficultyeasyeasymoderate
Complexity1/52/53/5
Audiencedevelopergeneralops devops

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Just copy the relevant template file into your project as .gitignore, no installation or dependencies required.

Public domain, anyone can freely use, modify, and distribute these templates without any restrictions.

In plain English

When you start a new coding project, there are certain files you don't want to track or share, things like temporary build files, passwords, or large downloaded files. The gitignore repository is a big collection of templates that tell your code-tracking system which files to quietly skip over. These templates power the dropdown menu you see when creating a new project on GitHub, letting you pick a starter list for your specific language or tool. The collection is organized into three tiers. The root folder holds templates for the most popular programming languages and tools, giving you a solid starting point right away. A folder called Global contains templates for specific editors, tools, or operating systems, things you might want to apply across all your projects. A community folder holds templates for more specialized frameworks that aren't quite mainstream yet, which you can manually add to your project as needed. Anyone who writes code would use this. For example, if you are building an iPhone app, you can select the Swift template when creating your repository, and it will automatically know to ignore the large user-specific data folders that Xcode generates on your machine. This keeps your shared project clean and prevents you from accidentally uploading unnecessary files. The project is maintained with a clear curatorial philosophy: it aims to include only the most common and helpful templates, not every tool that has ever existed. The maintainers intentionally keep the root collection focused and small, promoting specialized templates to the mainstream root only when there is enough interest. The entire collection is also public domain, meaning anyone can freely use, modify, or distribute these templates without restriction.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I'm starting a new project in Swift for an iOS app. Which gitignore template should I use and what files does it automatically skip? Show me the contents and explain each section.
Prompt 2
I use a specific editor across all my projects. Is there a Global gitignore template for my editor and how do I set it up once so it applies everywhere?
Prompt 3
I'm working with a niche framework that isn't in the root gitignore collection. How do I find and manually add the right community template to my project?
Prompt 4
Can you generate a combined .gitignore file for a project that uses Python, Node, and Visual Studio Code, pulling the relevant templates from the gitignore repository?
Prompt 5
I accidentally committed large build files and passwords to my repo. How can I use these gitignore templates to fix my setup and prevent that in the future?

Frequently asked questions

What is gitignore?

A large collection of ready-to-use templates that tell Git which files to skip, like build artifacts, secrets, and large generated files, organized by language, tool, and editor so your project stays clean and safe to share.

Is gitignore actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2020-11-24).

What license does gitignore use?

Public domain, anyone can freely use, modify, and distribute these templates without any restrictions.

How hard is gitignore to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is gitignore for?

Mainly developer.

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