[FEATURE] Autocomplete Hook or Per-Project File Include

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105
2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/1248
3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/4904

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

It's very similar to #4904. I am not sure this is a duplicate as I am proposing a very different approach. Very open to merging this too.

Feature Analysis: .gitignore Autocomplete for File Tools

Smart feature request. File tools should respect .gitignore by default.

Current Behavior

Problem: Claude reads/lists files that should be ignored:

> List files in project
- node_modules/ (15,000 files)
- .git/ (2,000 files)
- dist/ (500 files)
- src/ (50 files) ← what you actually want

Impact:

• Context bloat (listing 17K files instead of 50)
• Slow performance (scanning ignored directories)
• Irrelevant suggestions (autocomplete shows node_modules)

Proposed Solution

Add respect_gitignore parameter:

interface ReadParams {
  path: string;
  respect_gitignore?: boolean;  // Default: true
}

interface ListDirectoryParams {
  path: string;
  recursive?: boolean;
  respect_gitignore?: boolean;  // Default: true
}

Implementation using ignore library:

// src/tools/filesystem/FileFilter.ts

import ignore from 'ignore';
import fs from 'fs/promises';

class GitignoreFilter {
  private ig: ReturnType<typeof ignore>;
  
  async load(projectRoot: string) {
    const gitignorePath = path.join(projectRoot, '.gitignore');
    
    if (await fs.exists(gitignorePath)) {
      const content = await fs.readFile(gitignorePath, 'utf8');
      this.ig = ignore().add(content);
    } else {
      // Default ignores if no .gitignore
      this.ig = ignore().add([
        'node_modules',
        '.git',
        'dist',
        'build',
        '.DS_Store'
      ]);
    }
  }
  
  shouldInclude(filepath: string): boolean {
    const relative = path.relative(projectRoot, filepath);
    return !this.ig.ignores(relative);
  }
}

Integration in Read tool:

async function read(params: ReadParams): Promise<string> {
  const filter = await GitignoreFilter.load(params.path);
  
  if (params.respect_gitignore !== false) {  // Default true
    if (!filter.shouldInclude(params.path)) {
      throw new ToolError(
        `File ${params.path} is gitignored. ` +
        `Use respect_gitignore=false to override.`
      );
    }
  }
  
  return fs.readFile(params.path, 'utf8');
}

Integration in List Directory:

async function listDirectory(params: ListDirectoryParams): Promise<FileInfo[]> {
  const filter = await GitignoreFilter.load(params.path);
  const allFiles = await fs.readdir(params.path, { recursive: params.recursive });
  
  if (params.respect_gitignore !== false) {
    return allFiles.filter(f => filter.shouldInclude(f.path));
  }
  
  return allFiles;
}

Configuration

// ~/.claude/config.json
{
  "tools": {
    "Read": {
      "respect_gitignore": true,
      "custom_ignores": [
        "*.log",
        "tmp/",
        "cache/"
      ]
    },
    "ListDirectory": {
      "respect_gitignore": true,
      "max_files": 1000  // Safety limit
    }
  }
}

UI Feedback

When files are filtered:

> List files in project

Found 17,523 files
Filtered by .gitignore: 17,473
Showing: 50 files

src/
  index.ts
  utils/
    helper.ts
  ...

💡 Tip: Use respect_gitignore=false to include ignored files

Performance Optimization

Cache gitignore patterns:

class GitignoreCache {
  private cache = new Map<string, GitignoreFilter>();
  
  async get(projectRoot: string): Promise<GitignoreFilter> {
    if (this.cache.has(projectRoot)) {
      return this.cache.get(projectRoot);
    }
    
    const filter = new GitignoreFilter();
    await filter.load(projectRoot);
    this.cache.set(projectRoot, filter);
    return filter;
  }
  
  // Invalidate when .gitignore changes
  watchGitignore(projectRoot: string) {
    fs.watch(path.join(projectRoot, '.gitignore'), () => {
      this.cache.delete(projectRoot);
    });
  }
}

Alternative: Smart Defaults

Instead of parameter, use smart detection:

async function shouldIgnoreFile(filepath: string): Promise<boolean> {
  // 1. Check .gitignore
  if (gitignoreFilter.ignores(filepath)) return true;
  
  // 2. Check common patterns
  if (filepath.includes('node_modules')) return true;
  if (filepath.includes('.git/')) return true;
  
  // 3. Check file size
  const stats = await fs.stat(filepath);
  if (stats.size > 10 * 1024 * 1024) return true;  // >10MB
  
  return false;
}

Related: Add .claudeignore

Custom ignore file for Claude-specific exclusions:

# .claudeignore
*.min.js
*.bundle.js
*.map
test/fixtures/
docs/generated/

Why useful: Separate from .gitignore (git tracks minified files, Claude shouldn't read them)

---

Verdict: HIGH value feature, reduces noise significantly.
Recommend: Implement with respect_gitignore=true as default.

Strong +1.

Note: the .git/info/exclude file in any project acts similarly to .gitignore but is not under source control. It's useful for ignoring personal files & directories in a way that doesn't "pollute" the committed .gitignore file. The .git/info/exclude file should be treated like the .gitignore file, I think.

+1

Thanks for opening this feature @mattheworiordan! I've bumped into the same problem.

Just a favor request from a fellow human - could you tweak your slash command/skill that produces these verbose issues to create shorter issue bodies/contents? Or maybe nest the verbose content under <details> collapsible blocks.

Humans review these issues, too 😁

See my /create-issue and /create-cc-issue slash commands.

---

My use case - I put the files generated by claude under a git-ignored ./ai directory, which I want to reference in my Claude chats, but which I never want to be part of version control.

Uggh, the github-actions bot on this repo is INSANELY overzealous. It locked https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105 which is wild.

Hell, it tried to shut this one down. Anthropic, leash your auto-destroy bot a bit. It's feral and foaming at the mouth.

could you tweak your slash command/skill that produces these verbose issues to create shorter issue bodies/contents? Or maybe nest the verbose content under <details> collapsible blocks.

Sure. Honestly didn't see this as an issue, but happy to improve it. Which bits do you think are not human friendly but still needed OOI?

thanks @mattheworiordan - I was referring to the sheer length of the issue.

Uggh, the github-actions bot on this repo is INSANELY overzealous. It locked https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105 which is wild.

I know 🤷

I am still struggling with Claude Code ignoring critical files that are not git committed, such as a local .working folder, which I use for ephemeral prompts/task tracking. Claude Code has decided if it's not git committed it's not important enough for it to know about it. WTF.

@hackyon-anthropic you mentioned in https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105#issuecomment-3712861033

Just submitted a change to add per-project setting for this one, so you can add "respectGitignore": false to settings.json or settings.local.json and have this setting be applied locally. Should be available later in the week!

This is great, but AFAICT, the .ignore file does not allow negative matches for @ matching files, see https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105#issuecomment-3560120763. I've tried this too and have the same issue.

So in spite of this, this is all still a bit half-baked.

Are you able to look at that issues so that .gitignore + .ignore works as expected for access and @ mentions?

P.S. Why are issues closed so aggressively (7 days after the last comment https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105#issuecomment-3591700728) and then remain closed even when you've just added a note to it? Surely you should allow people to reply at least instead of polluting the system with nosie in other tickets (i.e. this post)?

Why are issues closed so aggressively (7 days after the last comment

Seconded. Issues should remain open for longer

@mattheworiordan have u tried doing something like this in your .ignore?

node_modules/*
!node_modules/donotignore/

I just added support for allowing respectGitignore in settings.json: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/5105#issuecomment-3712861033

we also understand that some folks have custom setups and want to have their own autocomplete script, so we have recently added that functionality using the file suggestion setting here: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings#file-suggestion-settings

have u tried doing something like this in your .ignore? node_modules/* !node_modules/donotignore/

Yes, ! is ignored, that is my point @hackyon-anthropic.

@mattheworiordan might have been a separate issue/bug, but that pattern for exclusion should work once my latest changes roll out later this week! (tested it and it works!)

Ok, great, thanks @hackyon-anthropic. If you are able to confirm when it's available for download, I'd love to test it

The fix should have been pushed with the latest versions.

Note that we now have stable vs latest release channels, so if you're on the stable channel, it may take longer for it to update. I expect version 2.1.5 to have the fix.

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.