Git Ignore Alternatives

TL;DR

A technical breakdown of how to hide files from Git using .git/info/exclude and global configs instead of just bloating the project .gitignore.

Who is this actually for?

Developers who are tired of their teammates yelling at them for adding OS-specific junk or local IDE settings to the shared repository.

The Good

• Prevents the shared .gitignore from becoming a dumping ground for every dev's personal preferences.
• Allows for local-only ignores that don't need to be tracked by the rest of the team.

The Catch (Potential Downsides)

It adds another layer of hidden configuration that is impossible to debug when you can't figure out why a file isn't being tracked. Also, you have to manually set this up on every new machine.