.gitignore Generator for AI Projects

Why a .gitignore matters more in AI projects

A .gitignore tells git which files to leave out of version control. In an AI-assisted project the stakes are higher than usual for two reasons. First, tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and aider write local config and cache files into your repo that should not be shared. Second, AI workflows lean heavily on API keys in .env files, and a single committed key can drain a funded account. A tight .gitignore is the cheapest insurance you will ever add to a repo.

The generator above lets you check the stacks and tools you actually use - Node, Python, macOS, VS Code, JetBrains, Claude Code, and more - and stitches them into one clean, commented .gitignore. It groups entries under headers so the file stays readable, and it always includes a way to keep an .env.example while ignoring the real .env.

The secret-safety patterns, explained

• .env and .env.* - ignore every environment file so no real secrets land in git. This is the single most important line in the file.
• !.env.example - the leading ! un-ignores a file. This keeps a committed template so teammates know which variables to set, without exposing your values.
• *.pem and *.key - private keys and certificates should never be tracked.
• secrets/ and credentials.json - common folders and filenames where keys hide.

What to ignore from Claude Code and other AI tools

Claude Code keeps a .claude folder in your project. You usually want to commit .claude/settings.json so the team shares one config, but you should ignore .claude/settings.local.json and any *.local.json, because those hold machine-specific overrides and sometimes personal paths. The generator's Claude Code block does exactly this - it ignores the local files while leaving the shared settings tracked. Other tools like Cursor, aider, Continue, and Windsurf each drop their own dot-folders, and the AI tools block sweeps those up.

Language and OS blocks

The Node block ignores node_modules, build output, and debug logs. The Python block covers __pycache__, virtual environments, and the caches that pytest, mypy, and ruff leave behind. The OS blocks handle the junk your operating system sprinkles into folders - .DS_Store on macOS, Thumbs.db on Windows - which is noise nobody wants in a diff. Editor blocks for VS Code and JetBrains ignore the bulk of their config while keeping the handful of shared settings worth committing.

How to apply the file

1. Save the generated text as .gitignore in your repository root.
2. If nothing is tracked yet, you are done - git respects the rules from the next add onward.
3. If a file you now want ignored is already tracked, run git rm --cached path and commit the removal.
4. Add an .env.example with placeholder values so teammates know what to fill in.
5. Double-check with git status that no secret files appear as staged or tracked.

Keeping the file honest over time

Revisit your .gitignore whenever you add a new tool or language to the project. It is easy for a new AI assistant or a new cache folder to start leaking into commits unnoticed. A quick habit that pays off: before your first commit on a fresh clone, glance at git status and confirm the only untracked things are files you actually intend to add. If something surprising shows up, it belongs in the ignore file.