.gitignore Generator
Pick your languages, tools and operating systems and get a ready-to-use .gitignore — copy or download it instantly.
Reviewed by the CalcCafe editorial team · Last updated 1 July 2026 · How we test our tools
How it works
Each stack you select contributes a curated block of standard ignore patterns, combined into a single .gitignore you can copy or download.
100% client-side — nothing you paste is ever uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Which stacks are included?
Node, Python, Java, Go, Rust, React/Next, macOS, Windows, Linux, VS Code, JetBrains and common log patterns. Toggle as many as you need.
Is it editable?
Yes — copy or download the result and tweak it for your project.
People also ask
How do I generate a .gitignore file?
Pick the languages, frameworks, editors and operating systems your project uses on this page and it assembles the matching ignore patterns into one file you can copy or download. Save the result as .gitignore in the root of your repository and commit it. The patterns follow the widely used community templates, so a typical Node or Python project is covered without hand-writing rules.
How do I create a .gitignore file?
Create a plain text file named exactly .gitignore in the top level of your repository and add one pattern per line, such as node_modules/ or *.log. On macOS or Linux run touch .gitignore in the repo folder; in any editor use Save As with the name .gitignore. Git reads it automatically, so no configuration is needed, and it should be committed so every collaborator gets the same rules.
What is the best gitignore template?
The most widely used reference is GitHub's github/gitignore repository, which maintains a template per language and tool; most generators, including this one, follow that collection. The best template for you is a combination: your language (for example Node or Python), your editor (VS Code, JetBrains) and your operating system (.DS_Store on macOS, Thumbs.db on Windows). Start from those blocks and add only project-specific entries such as .env or build output directories.
How to create .gitignore file in cmd?
In Windows Command Prompt, run type nul > .gitignore in the repository folder to create an empty file, or echo node_modules/> .gitignore to create it with a first line already in it; then open it in any editor to add more patterns. In PowerShell the equivalent is New-Item .gitignore. On macOS or Linux terminals use touch .gitignore.
How do I create a local .gitignore file?
If you mean ignore rules that stay on your machine and are not committed, edit the file .git/info/exclude inside the repository; it uses the same pattern syntax as .gitignore but is never shared. For rules you want in every repository on your machine, create a global file (for example ~/.gitignore_global) and register it with git config --global core.excludesFile ~/.gitignore_global. A regular .gitignore in the project folder is the committed, shared version.
How to make gitignore ignore a file?
Add the file's path relative to the .gitignore, one per line, such as config/secrets.json, or a pattern like *.log to catch many files. If the file was already committed, Git keeps tracking it regardless of .gitignore, so run git rm --cached path/to/file and commit to stop tracking it while leaving it on disk. Use a leading slash (/build) to anchor a pattern to the repo root and a trailing slash (logs/) to match only directories.
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Sources & references
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