Ignore folders files (#651)

# Add .gitignore-Aware File Filtering to gemini-cli

This pull request introduces .gitignore-based file filtering to the gemini-cli, ensuring that git-ignored files are automatically excluded from file-related operations and suggestions throughout the CLI. The update enhances usability, reduces noise from build artifacts and dependencies, and provides new configuration options for fine-tuning file discovery.

Key Improvements
.gitignore File Filtering

All @ (at) commands, file completions, and core discovery tools now honor .gitignore patterns by default.
Git-ignored files (such as node_modules/, dist/, .env, and .git) are excluded from results unless explicitly overridden.
The behavior can be customized via a new fileFiltering section in settings.json, including options for:
Turning .gitignore respect on/off.
Adding custom ignore patterns.
Allowing or excluding build artifacts.
Configuration & Documentation Updates

settings.json schema extended with fileFiltering options.
Documentation updated to explain new filtering controls and usage patterns.
Testing

New and updated integration/unit tests for file filtering logic, configuration merging, and edge cases.
Test coverage ensures .gitignore filtering works as intended across different workflows.
Internal Refactoring

Core file discovery logic refactored for maintainability and extensibility.
Underlying tools (ls, glob, read-many-files) now support git-aware filtering out of the box.


Co-authored-by: N. Taylor Mullen <[email protected]>

1 files changed, 237 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/packages/core/src/utils/gitIgnoreParser.test.ts b/packages/core/src/utils/gitIgnoreParser.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b99115a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/utils/gitIgnoreParser.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { GitIgnoreParser } from './gitIgnoreParser.js';
+import * as fs from 'fs/promises';
+import * as path from 'path';
+
+// Mock fs module
+vi.mock('fs/promises');
+
+// Mock gitUtils module
+vi.mock('./gitUtils.js', () => ({
+  isGitRepository: vi.fn(() => true),
+  findGitRoot: vi.fn(() => '/test/project'),
+}));
+
+describe('GitIgnoreParser', () => {
+  let parser: GitIgnoreParser;
+  const mockProjectRoot = '/test/project';
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    parser = new GitIgnoreParser(mockProjectRoot);
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  describe('initialization', () => {
+    it('should initialize without errors when no .gitignore exists', async () => {
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockRejectedValue(new Error('ENOENT'));
+
+      await expect(parser.initialize()).resolves.not.toThrow();
+    });
+
+    it('should load .gitignore patterns when file exists', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = `
+# Comment
+node_modules/
+*.log
+dist
+.env
+`;
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('.git/**');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('.git');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('node_modules/**');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/*.log');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/dist');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/.env');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle git exclude file', async () => {
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockImplementation(async (filePath) => {
+        if (filePath === path.join(mockProjectRoot, '.gitignore')) {
+          throw new Error('ENOENT');
+        }
+        if (
+          filePath === path.join(mockProjectRoot, '.git', 'info', 'exclude')
+        ) {
+          return 'temp/\n*.tmp';
+        }
+        throw new Error('Unexpected file');
+      });
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('temp/**');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/*.tmp');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('pattern parsing', () => {
+    it('should handle directory patterns correctly', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = 'node_modules/\nbuild/\n';
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('node_modules/**');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('build/**');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle file patterns correctly', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = '*.log\n.env\nconfig.json\n';
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/*.log');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/.env');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/config.json');
+    });
+
+    it('should skip comments and empty lines', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = `
+# This is a comment
+*.log
+
+# Another comment
+.env
+`;
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).not.toContain('# This is a comment');
+      expect(patterns).not.toContain('# Another comment');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/*.log');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/.env');
+    });
+
+    it('should skip negation patterns for now', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = '*.log\n!important.log\n';
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('**/*.log');
+      expect(patterns).not.toContain('!important.log');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle paths with slashes correctly', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = 'src/*.log\ndocs/temp/\n';
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('src/*.log');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('docs/temp/**');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('isIgnored', () => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = `
+node_modules/
+*.log
+dist
+.env
+src/*.tmp
+`;
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+      await parser.initialize();
+    });
+
+    it('should always ignore .git directory', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('.git')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('.git/config')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('.git/objects/abc123')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should ignore files matching patterns', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('node_modules')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('node_modules/package')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('app.log')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('logs/app.log')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('dist')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('.env')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('config/.env')).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should ignore files with path-specific patterns', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('src/temp.tmp')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('other/temp.tmp')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should not ignore files that do not match patterns', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('src/index.ts')).toBe(false);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('README.md')).toBe(false);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('package.json')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle absolute paths correctly', () => {
+      const absolutePath = path.join(
+        mockProjectRoot,
+        'node_modules',
+        'package',
+      );
+      expect(parser.isIgnored(absolutePath)).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle paths outside project root', () => {
+      const outsidePath = '/other/project/file.txt';
+      expect(parser.isIgnored(outsidePath)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle relative paths correctly', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('./node_modules')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('../file.txt')).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should normalize path separators on Windows', () => {
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('node_modules\\package')).toBe(true);
+      expect(parser.isIgnored('src\\temp.tmp')).toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getIgnoredPatterns', () => {
+    it('should return a copy of patterns array', async () => {
+      const gitignoreContent = '*.log\n';
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockResolvedValue(gitignoreContent);
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns1 = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+      const patterns2 = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns1).not.toBe(patterns2); // Different array instances
+      expect(patterns1).toEqual(patterns2); // Same content
+    });
+
+    it('should always include .git patterns', async () => {
+      vi.mocked(fs.readFile).mockRejectedValue(new Error('ENOENT'));
+
+      await parser.initialize();
+      const patterns = parser.getIgnoredPatterns();
+
+      expect(patterns).toContain('.git/**');
+      expect(patterns).toContain('.git');
+    });
+  });
+});