--- title: What is the .gitkeep file doing in my repository? description: A .gitkeep file is a placeholder file that may have been created by Copia's DeviceLink when setting up a folder structure. --- [Skip to content](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/what-is-the-.gitkeep-file-doing-in-my-repository#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [More support](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![](https://help.copia.io/hubfs/Logo_Hotdog_BlackWhite%20(1).svg) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [More support](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - Contact us Contact us How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Copia Help Center](https://help.copia.io/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [DeviceLink FAQ](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en) # What is the .gitkeep file doing in my repository? ## A .gitkeep file is a placeholder file that may have been created by Copia's DeviceLink when setting up a folder structure. *.gitkeep* is not an official Git file but is a convention used by developers working with Git. Git does not track empty folders, so if you want to commit an empty directory to your repository, you need to include some file in it. The *.gitkeep* is the file often used for this purpose. Its name makes clear that its only role is to ensure Git retains the otherwise empty folder. The file itself is usually empty and can be named anything; *.gitkeep* is simply a widely accepted convention. DeviceLink may need to add a *.gitkeep* file if you are trying to back up results to a folder that does not yet have any files. You can safely delete the *.gitkeep* file once you've added other files to the folder. - [Getting Started](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Sales Wiki](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#sales-wiki) - [Account Management](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#account-management) - [Customer Experience](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#customer-experience) - [Source Control FAQ](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Web App](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#web-app) - [Git Questions](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#git-questions) - [Desktop App](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#desktop-app) - [Tutorials](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#tutorials) - [Best Practices](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#best-practices) - [Source Control](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/source-control-faq?hsLang=en#source-control) - [DeviceLink FAQ](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Siemens TIA Portal](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en#siemens-tia-portal) - [Agent](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en#agent) - [General](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en#general) - [Rockwell Studio 5000](https://help.copia.io/knowledge/devicelink-faq?hsLang=en#rockwell-studio-5000) [![Chill listening crop-3](https://help.copia.io/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo_Hotdog_BlackTeal-1.png?width=87&height=24&name=Logo_Hotdog_BlackTeal-1.png "Chill listening crop-3")](http://copia.io) 43 W 24th St, 6th Floor New York, NY 10010 [mailto:email@email.com](mailto:email@email.com) Copyright © 2025, Copia Automation, Inc.