Claude Gitignore Generator Skill

🧠 Purpose

Automatically create or update a .gitignore file tailored to your project using gitignore.io.

This skill detects the type of project (Java, Node, Python, Docker, etc.) and uses either the gi CLI or a curl fallback to generate the correct .gitignore file.

⚙️ How It Works

•
Detect project type
- •Look for indicators like pom.xml, build.gradle.kts, package.json, Dockerfile, etc.
- •Infer appropriate gitignore keywords (e.g. java,maven,gradle,linux,intellij,docker).
•
Generate keyword list
- •Combine detected technologies with user input.
- •
  Example:
  code
  java,maven,gradle,linux,intellij,docker

•

Generate the .gitignore file

•If gi is installed:

bash

gi java,maven,gradle,linux,intellij,docker > .gitignore

•Otherwise, use curl fallback:

bash

curl -L -s https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore/api/java,maven,gradle,linux,intellij,docker > .gitignore

•

Add metadata header

•Append a creation timestamp and skill attribution:

bash

echo "# Generated by Claude Gitignore Skill on $(date)" | cat - .gitignore > temp && mv temp .gitignore

•
Confirm success
- •Output a summary and ensure .gitignore exists and is not empty.

🧪 Example Usage

Ask Claude

“Use the gitignore-generator skill to create a .gitignore for a Java + Maven + Docker project.”

Claude will:

•Detect your stack
•Run gi java,maven,docker
•Generate .gitignore in your project root

Manual CLI

bash

./scripts/generate_gitignore.sh "java,maven,docker,intellij"