wehub-resource-sync
110 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
110 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: ".clineignore"
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sidebarTitle: ".clineignore"
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description: "Control which files and directories Cline can access in your project."
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---
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The `.clineignore` file tells Cline which files and directories to skip when analyzing your codebase. It works like `.gitignore`: create a file named `.clineignore` in your project root, add patterns for files you want excluded, and Cline will ignore them.
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## Why It Matters
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Without a `.clineignore`, Cline may load your entire project into context, including dependencies, build artifacts, and generated files. This wastes tokens, increases costs, and can push useful context out of the window.
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Adding a `.clineignore` can cut your starting context from 200k+ tokens to under 50k. That means faster responses, lower costs, and the ability to use smaller, cheaper models effectively.
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## Creating a .clineignore
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Create a file named `.clineignore` in your project root:
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```text
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# Dependencies
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node_modules/
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**/node_modules/
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# Build outputs
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/build/
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/dist/
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/.next/
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/out/
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# Testing artifacts
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/coverage/
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# Environment variables
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.env
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.env.*
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# Large data files
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*.csv
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*.xlsx
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*.sqlite
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# Generated/minified code
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*.min.js
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*.map
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```
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## Pattern Syntax
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`.clineignore` uses the same pattern syntax as `.gitignore`:
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| Pattern | Matches |
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|---------|---------|
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| `node_modules/` | The `node_modules` directory |
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| `**/node_modules/` | `node_modules` at any depth |
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| `*.csv` | All CSV files |
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| `/build/` | The `build` directory at the project root only |
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| `*.env.*` | Files like `.env.local`, `.env.production` |
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| `!important.csv` | Exception: do not ignore this file |
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Lines starting with `#` are comments. Blank lines are ignored.
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## What to Exclude
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Start with these categories and adjust for your project:
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**Almost always exclude:**
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- Package manager directories (`node_modules/`, `vendor/`, `.venv/`)
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- Build outputs (`dist/`, `build/`, `.next/`, `out/`)
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- Coverage reports (`coverage/`)
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- Lock files if large (`package-lock.json`, `yarn.lock`)
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**Exclude if present:**
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- Large data files (`.csv`, `.xlsx`, `.sqlite`, `.parquet`)
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- Binary assets (images, fonts, videos)
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- Generated code (API clients, protobuf outputs, minified bundles)
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- Environment files with secrets (`.env`, `.env.local`)
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**Keep accessible:**
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- Source code you actively work on
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- Configuration files Cline needs to understand (`tsconfig.json`, `package.json`)
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- Documentation and READMEs
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- Test files (Cline often needs these for context)
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## How It Works
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When Cline scans your project to build context, it checks each file path against your `.clineignore` patterns. Matching files are excluded from:
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- The file listing Cline sees when starting a task
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- Automatic context gathering during conversations
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- Search results when Cline looks for relevant code
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You can still reference ignored files explicitly using [@ mentions](/core-workflows/working-with-files). If you type `@/node_modules/some-package/index.js`, Cline will read that specific file even though `node_modules/` is in your `.clineignore`. The ignore rules control automatic loading, not explicit access.
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<Note>
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`.clineignore` is separate from `.gitignore`. Files tracked by Git but irrelevant to Cline (like large test fixtures or data files) should go in `.clineignore` even if they're not in `.gitignore`.
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</Note>
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## Tips
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- Add `.clineignore` early in your project. It's easier to start with broad exclusions and narrow them than to debug why context is bloated later.
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- Check your token usage in the task header after adding a `.clineignore`. The difference is often dramatic.
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- If Cline seems to be missing context about a file, check whether it's being excluded by your ignore patterns.
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- For monorepos or multi-root workspaces, each workspace root can have its own `.clineignore`. See [Multi-Root Workspaces](/features/multiroot-workspace) for details.
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## Related
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- [Cline Rules](/customization/cline-rules) - Define persistent instructions for Cline
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- [Task Management](/core-workflows/task-management#context-window) - Understand how context windows work
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- [Auto-Compact](/features/auto-compact) - Automatic context compression during long tasks
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