Fixing .env Files Not Ignored by Git

Fri Jun 21 2024 2 min read

.env files contain sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, and other secrets. It is crucial to keep these files private and prevent them from being committed to your Git repository.

The common pattern *.env in .gitignore is used to ignore .env files. However, sometimes .env files continue to be tracked by Git even after adding them to .gitignore. This situation typically occurs because the .env files were committed to the repository before updating the .gitignore file. If your .env files still appear in git status after adding them to .gitignore, follow these steps to resolve the issue and ensure that .env files are properly ignored by Git:

Steps to Fix .env Files Not Ignored by Git

1. Remove .env Files from Git Tracking

   git rm --cached .env .env.local .env.staging
   

   This command untracks the .env files but keeps them on your local system.

2. Update .gitignore

   Add the following line to your .gitignore file:

   *.env
   

3. Commit the Changes

   git add .gitignore
   git commit -m "Update .gitignore to ignore .env files"
   

4. Push the Changes

   git push origin main
   

   Replace main with your branch name if necessary.

Summary

1. Untrack .env files: git rm --cached .env .env.local .env.staging
2. Update .gitignore with *.env
3. Commit changes: git add .gitignore and git commit -m "Update .gitignore to ignore .env files"
4. Push to remote: git push origin main

Following these steps ensures that .env files are ignored by Git, keeping your sensitive information secure.