DevBentoGitignore for Node.js
Generate a complete .gitignore for Node.js projects. Covers node_modules, env files, build output, logs, and package manager caches.
# Node.js node_modules/ dist/ build/ .npm .yarn/* !.yarn/patches !.yarn/plugins !.yarn/releases !.yarn/sdks !.yarn/versions .pnp.* .pnpm-store/ npm-debug.log* yarn-debug.log* yarn-error.log* pnpm-debug.log* lerna-debug.log* report.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.[0-9]*.json .env .env.* !.env.example coverage/ .cache/ .parcel-cache/ .vite/ .eslintcache *.tgz *.tsbuildinfo # Generated with devbento.dev/tools/gitignore-generator
Gitignore for Node.js
This example generates a production ready .gitignore for any Node.js project: backend APIs, CLIs, and full stack apps. It covers dependencies, secrets, build output, logs, coverage, and caches for npm, Yarn, and pnpm in one template.
What the Template Ignores
| Pattern | Reason |
|---|---|
| node_modules/ | Installed packages, reconstructable from package.json |
| .env, .env.* | Secrets and per machine config |
| !.env.example | Exception so the variable template stays committed |
| dist/, build/ | Compiled output from tsc, Vite, or esbuild |
| npm-debug.log*, yarn-debug.log*, yarn-error.log*, pnpm-debug.log*, lerna-debug.log* | Package manager debug logs |
| coverage/ | Test coverage reports from Jest, Vitest, or nyc |
| .cache/, .parcel-cache/, .vite/, .eslintcache, *.tsbuildinfo | Tool caches that speed up local runs |
| *.tgz | Output of npm pack |
| report.[0-9]* JSON | Node diagnostic reports |
How to Use
- The tool opens with the Node.js template preselected
- Add OS or editor templates such as macOS or VS Code with the multi select
- Click Generate, copy the result, and save it as .gitignore in your project root
- Commit it before your first real code so junk never enters history
Combining Templates
Real projects need more than one template. A typical Node API also selects macOS or Windows for OS files and VS Code or JetBrains for editor files. The generator merges them and removes duplicate lines, so the output stays clean.
Cleaning an Existing Repo
If node_modules or .env files are already tracked, ignoring them is not enough. Untrack with git rm -r –cached node_modules and git rm –cached .env, then commit the .gitignore. For secrets that were pushed, rotate them: removing from history requires filter-repo and every key in the file must be treated as compromised.
For related workflows, compare ignore files with the Diff Checker or generate the full Gitignore Generator with extra templates.
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