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 ignore the build/ folder?

Yes — the build/ directory is generated by CRA and should not be committed. Deploy from CI instead.

.gitignore for React

React / Create React App build output, environment files, and test coverage.

Quick presets

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React

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Raw

10 patterns · 290 B

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

# ---- React ----
# React
node_modules/
build/
.env.local
.env.development.local
.env.test.local
.env.production.local
npm-debug.log*
yarn-debug.log*
yarn-error.log*
coverage/

What this template ignores

Ignores Create React App build output (build/), node_modules, .env local overrides, npm/yarn debug logs, and test coverage reports.

Common additions

+.env — base environment file (commit without secrets)
+storybook-static/ — Storybook build output

Commonly paired with

node typescript nextjs vite 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 ignore the build/ folder?: Yes — the build/ directory is generated by CRA and should not be committed. Deploy from CI instead.

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