gitignore-builder_skill

Overview

This skill builds and merges .gitignore files using templates from the github/gitignore collection with smart project and environment detection. It locates the repository root (or suggests a global ignore), recommends appropriate templates, shows a preview diff, and writes a merged .gitignore while preserving user content and respecting EOL choices. The workflow is interactive and safe: confirm templates, review diffs, and approve writes.

How this skill works

The skill finds the nearest .git directory to determine the repo root or suggests a global ~/.gitignore when not in a repo. It scans indicator files and environment cues to recommend github/gitignore templates (e.g., Node, Python, macOS, VisualStudioCode). It fetches template content, wraps it with START/END markers for easy updates, merges sections in a predictable order (templates, local files, overrides), checks EOL consistency, shows a diff preview, and writes the final .gitignore after confirmation.

When to use it

• User asks to create or update a .gitignore (e.g., "create gitignore", "/gitignore").
• Newly initialized or cloned repository missing a .gitignore.
• You see untracked files that should be ignored (node_modules/, .env, __pycache__, *.log).
• You want to combine multiple official templates into one coherent .gitignore.
• You need a global .gitignore for an environment (macOS, Windows, Linux, editors).

Best practices

• Detect project root first; prefer repo-level .gitignore unless user requests global.
• Show recommended templates and require explicit user confirmation before writing.
• Wrap template content with clear START/END markers to allow future updates.
• Preserve user-added rules in Local and Overrides sections when merging.
• Prompt on EOL inconsistencies and let the user pick LF, CRLF, or keep-as-is.
• Always suggest adding *.local and *.local.* to avoid committing local configs.

Example use cases

• Add a Node.gitignore and VisualStudioCode.gitignore when package.json and .vscode/ are present.
• Create a global macOS and editor ignore for a new developer machine (uname = Darwin + code available).
• Merge Python and JetBrains templates for a repo with pyproject.toml and .idea/.
• Update an existing .gitignore: show a diff, preserve custom rules, and replace template block.
• Handle EOL conflicts when mixing templates from different OS origins before writing file.