Git: how to ignore hidden directories?

Question

I'd like to have Git ignore all hidden files and directories, i.e. .aptitude, .ssh/ and .bash_rc. Is there a simple rule to cover this without specifically adding each entry?

Answer 1

Just add a pattern to .gitignore

.*
!/.gitignore

Edit: Added the .gitignore file itself (matters if it is not yet commited).

Answer 2

.gitignore will only effect files that haven't been 'added' already.

To make new .gitignore entries affect all files

1. Make changes to .gitignore
2. git commit -a -m "Pre .gitignore changes"
3. git rm -r --cached .
4. git add .
5. git commit -a -m "Post .gitignore changes"
6. git status should output "nothing to commit (working directory clean)" `

Answer 3

In .git/info/exclude, add this line:

.*

This will make ignoring all hidden/dot files recursively the default for every repository on the machine. A separate .gitignore file for every repo is not needed this way.