Files in gitignore

Question

I have a repository with a rails app in the production Server.

In the repo there is the .gitignore file:

...
    config/database.yaml 
...

Every developing client have a cloned repo with different config/database.yaml.

My problem is this:

database.yaml is in .gitignore, then when I run git clone (on the server) the database.yaml will not be created, but I need it.

I thought than I am doing wrong something. Can you see where is my mistake ?

thank you, Alessandro

Answer 1

In my projects, I usually make a copy of a usable database config in a database.example.yml, then when someone clones the projects, copy the database.example.yml to database.yml and make the needed changes.

Answer 2

^{(here is a copy of my original answer to your first question)}

You don't version the right file.

You should version:

• a database.yaml.template
• 2 files (one for server values, and one for generic client values)
• 1 script able to build database.yaml on the checkout

That script would be called by the smudge step of a filter driver.

The resulting database.yaml would be "private" (never versioned/pushed or pulled), and can be modified at will.