Ignoring node_modules using .gitignore

Question

I started a project using npm, added a few dependencies and then initialized the repository usign git init.

I wanted the directory node_modules to be ignored by git, so I added it to the .gitignore file like so.

.gitignore

node_modules/

Of course because node_modules was added before git init, it is still recognized as a directory to track.

So I deleted it, used the following commands (as suggesed for similar problems)

git rm -r --cached .
git add .
git commit -m ".gitignore should now work"

Then reinstalled the npm dependencies by using npm install

After this I expect to have the directory node_modules to be finally ignored. Instead if I type git status I get

Untracked files:
  (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)

    node_modules/

Why?

Answer 1

Under this question there are many possible fixes for a .gitignore file not properly working.

In this case the problem is (was) that the .gitignore file's encoding was UNICODE instead of ASCII

Answer 2

Try the following:

• Remove node_modules from .gitignore and save it

• Delete node_modules (or move it somewhere outside from the project directory)

• Commit the changes (there will be a tons of deletion from node_modules) This step will remove the files from source control.

• Add node_modules to .gitignore again

• Commit gitignore

• Re-run npm install or restore the node_modules directory.