How to add .gitignore in Visual Studio

The easiest way to create a .gitignore file is through Visual Studio, which provides a template suited for .NET projects. If you're using an older version of Visual Studio without Git integration, you can add the .gitignore file on the server-side (e.g., GitHub) or do it manually.

In this article, I'll guide you through adding a .gitignore in Visual Studio, expanding your ignore list, and exploring other methods to add a .gitignore.

Add .gitignore in Visual Studio

1. Open Visual Studio and navigate to Git > Settings.

2. This action opens the Options window.

3. Go to Source Control > Git Repository Settings. In the Git files section, click Add next to the "Ignore file."

4. Visual Studio will create the .gitignore file in the root directory of your repository, and the UI will update to reflect its existence.

5. Click OK.

Note: You can click Edit to view and modify the .gitignore file.

Visual Studio stages the .gitignore for you, so all you need to do is commit and push it.

Ignore Additional Files and Directories

The default .gitignore template in Visual Studio is helpful, but as you develop and add files, you may need to exclude more items. You can ignore specific files, file types, and entire directories.

Ignore a File via the UI

In the Git Changes tab, right-click the file you want to ignore, and select Ignore this local item. This action updates the .gitignore and stages it for commit.

Edit .gitignore Manually

Since the .gitignore file is a simple text file, you can edit it directly. It is located in the root directory of your repository.

1. Open the Options window again (Git > Settings).
2. Navigate to Source Control > Git Repository.
3. Click Edit next to the "Ignore file."

This opens the .gitignore in the IDE. For example, if you want to ignore appsettings.Development.json, add the following line:

# My files to ignore
appsettings.Development.json

Then save the file and commit/push your changes.

Add .gitignore on the Server-side (GitHub)

When creating a Git repository on GitHub, you can add a .gitignore file using the Visual Studio template:

Note: It's best to add a .gitignore as early as possible, even in existing repositories.

Some Git hosting services lack an adequate default .gitignore, so you may want to modify it with a suitable template. I’ll provide a link to a good template in the next section.

Manual Addition of .gitignore

You don’t have to rely on the UI to create a .gitignore. You can manually add an empty .gitignore file to the root of your repository.

Your directory structure might look like this:

.git
.vs
src
tests
.gitignore

By following these steps, you can effectively manage which files Git tracks, keeping your repository clean and organized.