How to Set Up a Global .gitignore with Git Config
Keep your repositories clean by ignoring common files globally
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If you work with multiple Git repositories, you’ve likely run into the frustration of ignoring the same files (like .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, or your IDE settings) over and over again. Fortunately, Git allows you to define a global .gitignore file that applies to all repositories on your system. This is done through the core.excludesfile configuration option.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to set up a global .gitignore file using git config.
Why Use a Global .gitignore?
Some files are specific to your system or development environment and should never be committed to any project. Examples include:
- macOS system files (
.DS_Store) - Windows thumbnails (
Thumbs.db) - IDE configs (
.idea/,.vscode/) - Log files (
*.log) - Local environment files (
.env)
Instead of duplicating the same ignore rules in every repo, a global .gitignore keeps things DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself).
Step-by-Step Setup
1. Create the Global .gitignore File
Start by creating a .gitignore_global file in your home directory (or anywhere you prefer):
touch ~/.gitignore_global Then, edit it and add the rules you want:
# macOS
.DS_Store
# Windows
Thumbs.db
# IDEs
.vscode/
.idea/
# Logs
*.log
# Env files
.env 2. Configure Git to Use the Global File
Tell Git to use this file globally:
git config --global core.excludesfile ~/.gitignore_global You can verify it worked with:
git config --global core.excludesfile This should output the path you just set.