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.

What is the instance/ folder in Flask?

Flask's instance/ folder holds instance-specific configuration (like SECRET_KEY) that should not be in version control. It is excluded from the package by design.

.gitignore for Flask

Flask instance folder, SQLite database, and Python virtual environment.

Quick presets

Selected (1)

Flask

Your selections never leave your browser. Generation happens entirely client-side.

Raw

8 patterns · 214 B

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

# ---- Flask ----
# Flask
instance/
.webassets-cache
.env
.venv
venv/
__pycache__/
*.pyc
db.sqlite3

What this template ignores

Ignores Flask instance/ folder (config with secrets), webassets cache, SQLite database, and Python virtual environments.

Common additions

+*.sqlite — all SQLite files
+uploads/ — user upload directory

Commonly paired with

python pip poetry 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.
What is the instance/ folder in Flask?: Flask's instance/ folder holds instance-specific configuration (like SECRET_KEY) that should not be in version control. It is excluded from the package by design.

Looking for something else? Browse all templates →