| | --- |
| | title: Ignoring files |
| | redirect_from: |
| | - /git-ignore |
| | - /ignore-files |
| | - /articles/ignoring-files |
| | - /github/using-git/ignoring-files |
| | - /github/getting-started-with-github/ignoring-files |
| | - /github/getting-started-with-github/getting-started-with-git/ignoring-files |
| | - /get-started/getting-started-with-git/ignoring-files |
| | intro: 'You can configure Git to ignore files you don''t want to check in to {% data variables.product.github %}.' |
| | versions: |
| | fpt: '*' |
| | ghes: '*' |
| | ghec: '*' |
| | --- |
| | ## Configuring ignored files for a single repository |
| |
|
| | You can create a `.gitignore` file in your repository's root directory to tell Git which files and directories to ignore when you make a commit. |
| | To share the ignore rules with other users who clone the repository, commit the `.gitignore` file into your repository. |
| |
|
| | GitHub maintains an official list of recommended `.gitignore` files for many popular operating systems, environments, and languages in the "github/gitignore" public repository. You can also use gitignore.io to create a `.gitignore` file for your operating system, programming language, or IDE. For more information, see [github/gitignore](https://github.com/github/gitignore) and the [gitignore.io](https://www.gitignore.io/) site. |
| |
|
| | {% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %} |
| | 1. Navigate to the location of your Git repository. |
| | 1. Create a `.gitignore` file for your repository. |
| | |
| | ```shell |
| | touch .gitignore |
| | ``` |
| | |
| | If the command succeeds, there will be no output. |
| | |
| | For an example `.gitignore` file, see [Some common .gitignore configurations](https://gist.github.com/octocat/9257657) in the Octocat repository. |
| | |
| | If you want to ignore a file that is already checked in, you must untrack the file before you add a rule to ignore it. From your terminal, untrack the file. |
| | |
| | ```shell |
| | git rm --cached FILENAME |
| | ``` |
| | |
| | ## Configuring ignored files for all repositories on your computer |
| | |
| | You can tell Git to always ignore certain files or directories when you make a commit in any Git repository on your computer. For example, you could use this feature to ignore any temporary backup files that your text editor creates. |
| | |
| | To always ignore a certain file or directory, add it to a file named `ignore` that's located inside the directory `~/.config/git`. By default, Git will ignore any files and directories that are listed in the global configuration file `~/.config/git/ignore`. If the `git` directory and `ignore` file don't exist yet, you may need to create them. |
| | |
| | ## Excluding local files without creating a _.gitignore_ file |
| |
|
| | If you don't want to create a `.gitignore` file to share with others, you can create rules that are not committed with the repository. You can use this technique for locally-generated files that you don't expect other users to generate, such as files created by your editor. |
| |
|
| | Use your favorite text editor to open the file called `.git/info/exclude` within the root of your Git repository. Any rule you add here will not be checked in, and will only ignore files for your local repository. |
| |
|
| | {% data reusables.command_line.open_the_multi_os_terminal %} |
| | 1. Navigate to the location of your Git repository. |
| | 1. Using your favorite text editor, open the file `.git/info/exclude`. |
| | |
| | ## Further Reading |
| | |
| | * [Ignoring files](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Recording-Changes-to-the-Repository#_ignoring) in the Git documentation |
| | * [.gitignore](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitignore) in the Git documentation |
| | * [A collection of useful _.gitignore_ templates](https://github.com/github/gitignore) in the github/gitignore repository |
| | * [gitignore.io](https://www.gitignore.io/) site |
| | |
