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How to Set Up a Global .gitignore with Git Config

Learn how to configure a global .gitignore file using Git's core.excludesfile setting to avoid repeating ignore rules in every repository.

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):

bash
touch ~/.gitignore_global

Then, edit it and add the rules you want:

bash
# 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:

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

You can verify it worked with:

bash
git config --global core.excludesfile

This should output the path you just set.