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tangoabcdelta/generate zip archive of a git repository ignoring the files listed in `.gitignore` instructions.md

Created February 22, 2021 07:57
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Generate zip archive of a git repository ignoring the files listed in `.gitignore`:
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generate zip archive of a git repository ignoring the files listed in `.gitignore` instructions.md

I have a git repo which compiles into a dist folder and generates a bunch binaries (executables). The binaries and dist folders are .gitignore-ed and hence, are not included in the repo. But I want to distribute a source + binaries snapshot zipfile. I want them to contain:

a) all the sources b) all the binaries c) the dist folder (so that they can tweak it) d) not the .git/ directory, not the hidden files like .cache or node_modules/ etc.

Generate zip archive of a git repository ignoring the files listed in .gitignore:

git archive -o [email protected] HEAD
  • To exclude files and directories from git archive, you can also use the .gitattributes file.

    1. Create a file named .gitattributes in your project root (if it doesn't exist).

    2. Edit the file: Each exclusion should have a file pattern followed by "export-ignore":

      .gitattributes export-ignore .gitignore export-ignore /mytemp export-ignore

    3. git-ignore the .gitattributes file itself

    4. Commit the .gitattributes file (otherwise, git archive won't pick up the settings)

Then proceed with the natural way of creating a snapshot zip:

git archive -o archive.zip
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