Ignoring Files with .gitignore

Files and folders can be ignored in git using the .gitignore file. This means they are never added to the staging area or repository.

.gitignore is a plain text file that lists the files and folders to be ignored, on per line. Folders end with a forward slash and wildcards are available with the asterisk. Comments begin with the octothorpe.

A sample .gitignore file:

# Ignore the build directory and all files / folders in it 
build/ 

# ignore all so files 
*.so 

# ignore the .directory file 
.directory