Why .gitignore Isn’t Ignoring Your Files And What Git Is Actually Doing

A practical debugging guide for when you add files to .gitignore and Git keeps tracking them anyway.

You add a rule to .gitignore.
Git ignores nothing.

The file still shows up in git status, gets staged, and refuses to go away.

This guide explains why that happens and how to fix it correctly.

Most .gitignore issues come down to one simple rule: .gitignore only affects files that are not already tracked. Once a file is tracked, Git assumes you want it that way.

This guide walks through the real causes of .gitignore failures and gives you a clear checklist to resolve them without deleting files or guessing.

What this guide covers

• Why .gitignore doesn’t affect already tracked files
• How to safely stop tracking a file without deleting it
• Common .gitignore rule mistakes
• How rule order and negation affect behavior
• Multiple .gitignore files and scope issues
• Global gitignore conflicts
• A step-by-step checklist to make ignore rules actually work

What this guide is NOT

• Not a .gitignore syntax reference
• Not a Git beginner tutorial
• Not advice to delete files and hope for the best

This is a focused troubleshooting guide for one of the most misunderstood Git behaviors.

Who this is for

• Developers confused why .gitignore “isn’t working”
• Anyone accidentally committing files they meant to ignore
• Developers working with generated or config files
• Teams trying to keep repos clean and predictable

Format

• PDF
• Clean, skimmable layout
• Checklist-driven
• Easy to reference during active work

If .gitignore has ever made you question your sanity, this guide will clear it up quickly.

What You’ll Learn

• Why .gitignore doesn’t apply to tracked files
• How to safely untrack files without deleting them
• Common .gitignore rule mistakes
• How rule order and negation affect ignores
• How global ignore settings cause confusion
• How to keep ignored files out of your repo permanently