Do I need to commit .gitignore?

Yes — .gitignore should be committed to the repository so all collaborators benefit from the same ignore rules.

How do I add custom patterns?

Open your .gitignore file and add the pattern on a new line. Use # for comments, * for wildcards, / to match directories, and ! to un-ignore a previously ignored path.

How do I ignore a file that is already tracked?

Adding a file to .gitignore does not remove it from tracking if it was previously committed. Run: git rm --cached to stop tracking it without deleting the file locally.

Should I commit compile_commands.json?

compile_commands.json (generated by CMake or Bear) helps editors like clangd provide accurate completion. You can commit it for shared editor configs, but it is build-system-specific so many teams ignore it.

.gitignore for C++

C++ compiled objects, precompiled headers, and build artifacts.

Quick presets

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C++

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20 patterns · 251 B

# Generated by DevZone Tools — https://devzone.tools/tools/gitignore-generator
# Templates: C++
# 2026-04-20

# ---- C++ ----
# C++
*.d
*.slo
*.lo
*.o
*.obj
*.gch
*.pch
*.so
*.dylib
*.dll
*.lai
*.la
*.a
*.lib
*.exe
*.out
*.app
*.i*86
*.x86_64
*.hex

What this template ignores

Ignores compiled .o/.obj files, precompiled headers (.gch, .pch), static and shared libraries, and compiled executables.

Common additions

+.cache/ — clangd LSP cache
+compile_commands.json — can be committed for editor support

Commonly paired with

c cmake make Combine →

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to commit .gitignore?: Yes — .gitignore should be committed to the repository so all collaborators benefit from the same ignore rules.
How do I add custom patterns?: Open your .gitignore file and add the pattern on a new line. Use # for comments, * for wildcards, / to match directories, and ! to un-ignore a previously ignored path.
How do I ignore a file that is already tracked?: Adding a file to .gitignore does not remove it from tracking if it was previously committed. Run: git rm --cached <file> to stop tracking it without deleting the file locally.
Should I commit compile_commands.json?: compile_commands.json (generated by CMake or Bear) helps editors like clangd provide accurate completion. You can commit it for shared editor configs, but it is build-system-specific so many teams ignore it.

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