Use the free Gitignore Generator below: your data never leaves your browser — all work happens on your device, and nothing is uploaded to any server.
A Good Gitignore Saves You From Embarrassing Commits
Every project creates files that should never reach version control: dependency folders, build output, local settings, log files, and sometimes secrets. A .gitignore file tells Git which files to skip, and a good one is the difference between a clean repository and one bloated with thousands of generated files. A bad one, or a missing one, is how private keys and huge folders end up in a public repository.
This generator builds a .gitignore from templates for common languages and tools, plus your own custom lines. Tick Node and Python for a full-stack project, add macOS and VS Code for your machine and editor, and the tool merges everything into one file with duplicates removed. Templates are embedded in the page, so the tool works offline once loaded, and nothing you type is uploaded anywhere.
How to Use It
Tick the templates you use, add any custom patterns, and press Generate. The merged file appears in the result box, ready to copy or download as .gitignore.
- Filter the template list if you are looking for a specific language or tool.
- Tick each template your project uses, for example Node, Python, and macOS.
- Add your own lines in the custom box, one pattern per line.
- Press Generate .gitignore and read the merged result.
- Check that your custom patterns appear and that duplicates were removed.
- Copy the result or download it as .gitignore into your project root.
A Worked Example
A typical web project might tick Node, for node_modules and build output, macOS, for system files like .DS_Store, and VS Code, for editor settings. The generator merges those three templates, removes any pattern that appears twice, and adds a custom line like secret.txt at the end under a Custom heading. Place the downloaded file in the root of your repository, and Git will start ignoring those paths on the next status check. Files already tracked by Git are not affected, so remove them from tracking separately if needed.
Tips That Save Time
- Generate the .gitignore before your first commit. Adding it later does not untrack files already committed.
- Ignore dependency folders, build output, and local environment files, but never ignore your actual source code.
- Add secrets and private keys to .gitignore immediately, and rotate any secret that was ever committed.
- Use folder patterns with a trailing slash, like dist/, when you mean a folder rather than a file.
- Review the generated file once. Templates are generous, and you may want to remove patterns your project does not need.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is committing a secret and then only deleting it later, which does not remove it from repository history. Another is ignoring a file that is already tracked: .gitignore only affects untracked files, so tracked files must be removed with git rm –cached. A third is copying a huge template without reading it, which can ignore files you actually need, such as a config file your build depends on. Read the output before you commit it.
Questions People Ask
Does this tool upload my custom patterns? No. The templates are built into the page and the merge happens in your browser. Nothing leaves your device.
Why is a file still showing in git status after I added it? It was probably already tracked. Use git rm –cached on the file to stop tracking it while keeping it on your disk.
A clean repository starts with a good ignore file. Tick your templates, add your patterns, and download a .gitignore you can trust. Keep that file at the root of the project, review it when you add a new tool or language, and treat it as part of the project itself, not as an afterthought that only gets attention after a bad commit.