> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wp-content.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Ignore files

> Exclude files during plugin and theme build process.

The `.wpcignore` file works like a `.gitignore`: it allows you to specify files or directories to exclude during the build process, especially when generating ZIP archives via the CLI.

## Purpose

When executing build commands, the `.wpcignore` file is used to determine which files should be excluded from the final ZIP package. This helps avoid including unnecessary files like version control folders, logs, or local development artifacts.

## Format

The `.wpcignore` file is a plain text file containing one pattern per line. It supports glob patterns, making it easy to match files or folders.

## Example

```gitignore .wpcignore theme={null}
# Exclude Git-related files and folders
.git*

# Exclude all .log files
*.log

# Exclude temporary folders
temp/
```

## Usage

Place the `.wpcignore` file at the root of your project. During the build process, the CLI will automatically use it to determine what should be excluded from the archive.

## Notes

* Patterns are relative to the root of the project.
* Empty lines and lines starting with `#` are treated as comments.
* Be careful not to exclude required files unintentionally.