A .gitignore file is a crucial component for managing your Unreal Engine project with Git. It is a set of rules that tell Git which files to exclude from version control. A .gitignore has to be configured based on the game engine you use. We also have a .gitignore template for Unity.
Without it you would upload too many unnecessary files into your repository. Files in folders like DerivedDataCache, Intermediate, Saved, and Build are generated locally during your work and clutter up your repository if included. By excluding these from version control, your repository stays clean and efficient.
Download this .gitignore file and paste it to the root folder of your project. When you open it, you will see a set of rules that are specific to Unreal Engine. A .gitignore file for a Unity or a Godot project will look differently.
The rules in the .gitignore file should apply to everyone on your team. Therefore, the next step is to commit and push it to the repository. Afterwards, everyone should pull your commit containing the .gitignore file. In most cases, you won't need to modify it further.
If you have specific requirements, you can tailor your .gitignore file accordingly. For example, some people choose to ignore the plugins folder and use Git submodules instead, while others may not. To customize, simply use a text editor to add rules. Each rule is defined by a pattern, which includes the following symbols:
By adding an exclamation mark "!", you allow files and folders to be included, even if they were previously ignored.
If you need a personal .gitignore that isn't shared with the team, you can use a special file located in the hidden ".git" folder. Inside this folder, navigate to the "info" directory. Here, you'll find a file named exclude. You can modify this file using the same rules as .gitignore, but the key difference is that these rules will only apply to your local environment and won't be shared with your team.
