.gitignore for Autotools

35 ignore rules for Autotools, ready to copy into your repository.

GNU build system

The complete .gitignore for Autotools

# Generated by LFGitignore - https://lfgitignore.com
# Created: 2026-08-05 01:30:24 UTC
# Technologies: Autotools

### Autotools ###
Makefile.in
/ar-lib
/mdate-sh
/py-compile
/test-driver
/ylwrap
.deps/
.dirstamp
autom4te.cache
/autoscan.log
/autoscan-*.log
/aclocal.m4
/compile
/config.cache
/config.guess
/config.h.in
/config.log
/config.status
/config.sub
/configure
/configure.scan
/depcomp
/install-sh
/missing
/stamp-h1
/libtool
/ltmain.sh
.libs/
/texinfo.tex
m4/libtool.m4
m4/ltoptions.m4
m4/ltsugar.m4
m4/ltversion.m4
m4/lt~obsolete.m4
# Generated makefile
Makefile

What these Autotools rules actually ignore

Every pattern below, and why it belongs in your .gitignore.

General

Pattern What it ignores
Makefile.in General
/ar-lib General
/mdate-sh General
/py-compile General
/test-driver General
/ylwrap General
.deps/ General
.dirstamp General
autom4te.cache General
/autoscan.log General
/autoscan-*.log General
/aclocal.m4 General
/compile General
/config.cache General
/config.guess General
/config.h.in General
/config.log General
/config.status General
/config.sub General
/configure General
/configure.scan General
/depcomp General
/install-sh General
/missing General
/stamp-h1 General
/libtool General
/ltmain.sh General
.libs/ General
/texinfo.tex General
m4/libtool.m4 General
m4/ltoptions.m4 General
m4/ltsugar.m4 General
m4/ltversion.m4 General
m4/lt~obsolete.m4 General
Makefile Generated makefile

How to use this .gitignore for Autotools

  1. Copy the Autotools rules above, or download the file directly.
  2. Create a file named .gitignore at the root of your Git repository and paste the rules into it.
  3. If some of those files are already tracked, run git rm -r --cached . then commit again — Git only applies ignore rules to untracked files.
  4. Commit the .gitignore so everyone on the team shares the same rules.

Other Build Tool .gitignore templates

See every Build Tool template