How to set up a global .gitignore

If you work with multiple Git repositories, you’ve likely run into the frustration of ignoring the same files (like .DS_Store, Thumbs.db, or your IDE settings) over and over again. Fortunately, Git allows you to define a global .gitignore file that applies to all repositories on your system. This is done through the core.excludesfile configuration option.

In this article, I'll walk you through how to set up a global .gitignore file using git config.

🎯 Why Use a Global .gitignore?

Some files are specific to your system or development environment and should never be committed to any project. Examples include:

• macOS system files (.DS_Store)
• Windows thumbnails (Thumbs.db)
• IDE configs (.idea/, .vscode/)
• Log files (*.log)
• Local environment files (.env)

Instead of duplicating the same ignore rules in every repo, a global .gitignore keeps things DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself).

🛠 Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create the Global .gitignore File

Start by creating a .gitignore_global file in your home directory (or anywhere you prefer):

touch ~/.gitignore_global

Then, edit it and add the rules you want:

# macOS
.DS_Store

# Windows
Thumbs.db

# IDEs
.vscode/
.idea/

# Logs
*.log

# Env files
.env

2. Configure Git to Use the Global File

Tell Git to use this file globally:

git config --global core.excludesfile ~/.gitignore_global

You can verify it worked with:

git config --global core.excludesfile

This should output the path you just set.