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What is .gitignore? How can I use it to ignore changes to specific files and file types?

.gitignore is a file that lists patterns of files and directories that should be ignored when tracking changes in a repository

Copia has a default .gitignore file that is created for all new repositories. You can modify the default .gitignore file or create your own to suit your specific needs. Keep in mind that the default .gitignore file is a good starting point, but you may need to customize it further depending on your project requirements.

This feature is useful for making sure that you don't end up tracking changes to irrelevant files, such as the temporary .Sem and .Wrk files that are created when working in a Rockwell Studio 5000 project.

The .gitignore file can be accessed in your local repository. You will need to add the patterns of files and directories that you want Git to ignore to the .gitignore file. Each pattern should be listed on a new line, and can use wildcards to match multiple files or directories. Then, save the .gitignore file and commit the .gitignore file to your repository.

 

Screenshot 2023-05-01 091220

The .gitignore file can also be edited in the desktop app by navigating to Repository > Repository Settings > Ignored Files. GIF Recording 2023-05-01 at 9.10.34 AM

In order to have an effective .gitignore file, you should follow certain patterns to specify the files and directories that should be ignored. Here are some guidelines to follow:

  • Each line in the .gitignore file represents a pattern of files and directories that should be ignored.

  • You can use # at the beginning of a line to add comments to your .gitignore file.

  • Use a trailing / character to indicate that a pattern matches a directory.

  • Use * to match any sequence of characters, and ? to match any single character. For example, *.log matches all files with a .log extension.

  • Use ! to negate a pattern, i.e. to include a file or directory that would otherwise be ignored.

  • Use ** to match any number of directories or subdirectories. For example, **/build matches any build directory at any level of your project directory tree.

  • Blank lines are ignored.

You can also add files to your .gitignore file from the desktop app by right clicking on the file in the Changes tab and selecting Ignore file or Ignore all .xxx files

Screenshot 2023-05-01 091503

 

It's worth noting that .gitignore only applies to files that have not already been committed to your repository. If you have already committed a file that you now want to ignore, you'll need to complete the following steps.

  1. First, make sure that the file is not currently staged for commit. If the file is staged, you will need to unstage it before proceeding. You can do this by selecting Repository > Open with Command Prompt and using the following command:

    git reset HEAD <FILE_NAME>

    This will remove the file from the staging area and return it to the working directory.

  2. Next, remove the file from the Git index using the following command:

    git rm --cached <FILE_NAME>

    This will remove the file from the Git index, but leave it in the working directory.

  3. Finally, add the file to your .gitignore file so that it is not accidentally tracked in the future. You can do this by opening the .gitignore file in a text editor and adding the file path to a new line in the file, like this:

    <FILE_NAME>

    Save the .gitignore file and commit it to your repository.

 

Elements of the UI may have changed since the time of posting. For the most up-to-date information, refer to our Documentation.