.gitignore File

Understand ignored files: Some files, like node_modules, log files, or API keys, should never be tracked by version control. Create the file: Make a new file at the root of your project and name it exactly .gitignore. Add simple rules: Open the file and type the names of files or folders you want Git to ignore, placing each on a new line. Add wildcard rules: Use an asterisk to ignore all files of a certain type, such as *.log to ignore all log files. Ignore specific folders: Add a trailing slash to ignore entire directories, like my_folder/. Commit the .gitignore: Ensure the .gitignore file itself is committed to the repository so the rules apply to everyone working on the project.