Question 1

What is a .gitignore file?

Accepted Answer

A .gitignore file tells Git which files and folders to ignore, such as dependencies, build output, logs, and editor settings. It keeps your repository clean and avoids committing generated or local files.

Question 2

How does this generator combine templates?

Accepted Answer

Each selected template contributes its ignore patterns under a labeled comment header. The tool merges them in order and removes duplicate lines so the same pattern never appears twice.

Question 3

Where do I put the generated .gitignore?

Accepted Answer

Save it as a file named .gitignore in the root of your Git repository. You can also place additional .gitignore files inside subfolders for more specific rules.

Question 4

Is my selection sent to a server?

Accepted Answer

No. The .gitignore is generated entirely in your browser. Nothing you select or download is uploaded.

Question 5

Will it stop tracking files already committed?

Accepted Answer

No. .gitignore only affects untracked files. To stop tracking a file already in the repository, run git rm --cached <file> and then commit.

.gitignore Generator