5 Tell git to ignore files

Make a file named .gitignore (you can also use nano/any-text-editor to do it)

Make a file that we would want git to ignore

touch ignore_this.txt

Add this file to .gitignore

echo ignore_this.txt >> .gitignore

Try git add a file we told .gitignore to not track

git add ignore_this.txt

## The following paths are ignored by one of your .gitignore files:
## ignore_this.txt
## Use -f if you really want to add them.

If you want to add a supposedly ignored file, use the -f flag

git add -f ignore_this.txt

# Then commit it too!
git commit -m "Add ignore_this.txt"

## [master 2e99052] Add ignore_this.txt
##  1 file changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
##  create mode 100644 ignore_this.txt

5.1 BONUS - Use wildcard

You can use wildcard expressions in this file as well. Some common things in a .gitignore file are .*, *~, ~*, which are often temporary or backup files.

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There should now be a .gitignore file in your directory.