Скачать или смотреть How to git ignore a Specific Extension-less File Without Ignoring the Folder

Learn how to effectively `git ignore` an extension-less file while keeping a folder with the same name in your version control system.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64753841/ asked by the user 'Gustavo Lopes' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/8038345/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64754011/ provided by the user 'DUman' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1264727/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to git ignore a Specific Extension-less File Without Ignoring the Folder

When working with Git for version control, it's common to encounter situations where certain files should be ignored, while others must remain tracked. One frequent dilemma developers face is how to ignore a specific extension-less file without affecting a folder that shares the same name. In this post, we will address this issue and provide a straightforward solution to achieve your goal.

The Problem: Ignoring a Specific Extension-less File

Imagine you have a file named program, which is a binary file without an extension. You want to ensure that this file is excluded from your version control, while at the same time keeping a folder named program intact for tracking. Here's the challenge: If you add program directly to your .gitignore, Git will also ignore the folder named program, which is not what you want.

The Solution: Crafting the Right .gitignore Entry

To effectively manage this situation, you need to tweak your .gitignore file with specific entries that differentiate between files and directories. Here's how to do it:

Step-by-Step Instructions

Open your .gitignore file (or create one if it does not exist).

Add the following lines to your .gitignore:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Entries

program: The first line tells Git to ignore any file (or folder) named program. This ensures that the program binary file will not be tracked in version control.

!program/: The exclamation mark (!) is a negation operator that instructs Git to include back items that were previously ignored. By adding the trailing slash (/) you specify that this rule only applies to directories, allowing the program folder to be tracked again.

Understanding Git Ignore Patterns

According to the man gitignore documentation:

An optional prefix ! negates the pattern; any matching file excluded by a previous pattern will become included again.

If there is a separator (slash /) at the end of the pattern, then the pattern will only match directories; otherwise, it can match both files and directories.

Conclusion

By following the simple steps outlined above, you can effortlessly manage your .gitignore file to ignore a specific extension-less file while preserving a folder with the same name. This method allows you to maintain clean version control practices without unintentionally excluding necessary directories. With this knowledge at your disposal, you can now navigate similar scenarios with confidence.

For further information on handling gitignore files and patterns, feel free to explore the official Git documentation or engage with the developer community for more tips and tricks.