Cordova 5.0.0: Which files should I commit to git?

Question

I use Cordova 5.0.0 and i have the following project structure:

MyProject
    - hooks
    - platforms
    - plugins
    - resources
    - www
    - config.xml

My question now is: Which of these folders can I omit? I ask it because I work on three different platforms. I Develop on linux for android, windows for windows phone and on mac for ios. If I commit the whole project I always get warnings and error for the not supported platforms.

What I want is a minimalistic git repository.

One problem for example are the plugins. When I delete the plugin folder from the repository I have to add them on each of my developing platform manually.

Another problem is the resources folder. I automatically generate icons and splashscreens using ionic. When I now try to build the project on ios, it is complaining about the images for android.

So what do I need and what can I omit?

Answer 1

2021 Update - using Android platform:

# Node Package Manager
node_modules/
npm-debug.log

# Gradle
.gradle

# IntelliJ IDEA
**/.idea/**/*
*.iml
coverage/
.nyc_output/

# Other generated files & folders
bin/*
build
gen

# Cordova Plugins: remove all except json & xml
plugins/*
!plugins/**/*.json
!plugins/**/*.xml

# Cordova Platform: Android
platforms/android/assets/www
platforms/android/bin
platforms/android/gen
platforms/android/local.properties
platforms/android/ant-build
platforms/android/ant-gen
platforms/android/CordovaLib
platforms/android/cordova/
platforms/android/app/gradle
platforms/android/app/src/main/java
platforms/android/app/release
platforms/android/app/gradlew
platforms/android/**/*.bat
platforms/android/app/src/main/assets/www
platforms/android/platform_www

# Cordova www folder
# Files will be built into this folder
www/**/*
!www/.gitkeep

With my setup I have a build script which bundles and minifies the content of the www folder so I ignored it as well.

Answer 2

Most of the other answers are 2/3 years old.

2019 Update:

# remove extension less files
*
!/**/
!*.*

# intermediate files
node_modules/
build/
obj/
Debug/
bin/
package-lock.json
.vs
.gradle
.idea
*.exe

# res
**/resources/signing

# project specific
**/dist/
**/all.min.js

# ========== Cordova - platforms
# android
# platforms/android/app/src/main/assets
# platforms/android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
# platforms/android/app/src/main/res/drawable-*
# platforms/android/app/src/main/res/mipmap-*
# platforms/android/app/src/main/res/xml/config.xml
# browser
# platforms/browser/app/src/main/assets
# platforms/browser/config.xml
# platforms/browser/www
#
# ========== Cordova - plugins - remove all except json & xml
# plugins/**/.DS_Store
# plugins/**/*.cs
# plugins/**/*.h
# plugins/**/*.java
# plugins/**/*.js
# plugins/**/*.m
# plugins/**/*.map
# plugins/**/*.md
# plugins/**/*.modulemap
# plugins/**/*.ts
# plugins/**/LICENSE
# plugins/**/NOTICE
# plugins/**/*.gradle
# plugins/**/tests/

As you can see I commented most of the lines ( all lines starting with # ). This is because I ran into issues with plugin version changes, and decided to know what is happening with plugin updates. Essentially all platform & plugin files are included in commit, now my life is peaceful.

2019:
I stated with this.

After developing & publishing the app, it became below:
(If you deviate from below, comment below, we can learn from each other)

# remove extension less files
*
!/**/
!*.*

# intermediate files
node_modules/
build/
obj/
Debug/
bin/
package-lock.json
.vs
.gradle
.idea
*.exe

# Cordova - platforms
platforms

# Cordova - plugins - remove all except json & xml
plugins/**/.DS_Store
plugins/**/*.cs
plugins/**/*.h
plugins/**/*.java
plugins/**/*.js
plugins/**/*.m
plugins/**/*.map
plugins/**/*.md
plugins/**/*.modulemap
plugins/**/*.ts
plugins/**/LICENSE
plugins/**/NOTICE
plugins/**/*.gradle
plugins/**/tests/

# res
**/resources/signing

# project specific
**/dist/
**/all.min.js

Answer 3

I don't know the answer, but I've found something that might help. This pull request was approved.

Here's the file :

# Mac
.DS_Store

# Node
npm-debug.log
/node_modules

# Cordova
/platforms
/plugins

# res
resources/signing

Answer 4

It depends on the platforms.

You can use this example of .gitignore and customize according to your needs.

# Mac
.DS_Store

# iOS
platforms/ios/build/
platforms/ios/www/
platforms/ios/cordova/console.log
*.xcuserdatad

# android
platforms/android/assets/www
platforms/android/bin
platforms/android/gen
platforms/android/local.properties
platforms/android/ant-build
platforms/android/ant-gen
platforms/android/CordovaLib/ant-build
platforms/android/CordovaLib/ant-gen
platforms/android/CordovaLib/bin
platforms/android/CordovaLib/gen
platforms/android/CordovaLib/local.properties

# wp8
platforms/wp8/bin
platforms/wp8/obj
platforms/wp8/www
platforms/wp8/.staging
platforms/wp8/*.suo
platforms/wp8/*.csproj.user

# res
resources/signing

Answer 5

I followed these steps:

• create cordova project

• add platforms

• add plugins

Before build project, I commit and push generated files. After I build project and check for new files generated. I got these to add in .gitignore:

/platforms/android/gradlew.bat

/platforms/android/build

/platforms/android/gradle

/platforms/android/libs

/platforms/android/gradlew.bat

/platforms/android/CordovaLib/build

/platforms/android/.gradle

Answer 6

You can save platform and plugin afterwards by using following commands.

platform mass saving

$ cordova platform save

Plugins mass saving

$ cordova plugin save

Kindly note that there is no -- in above commands

One More thing, after fetching repo on another machine you just run following command to generate and fetch plugins and platforms automatically

$ cordova prepare

For more reference visit the links below. https://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/latest/platform_plugin_versioning_ref/#mass-saving-platforms-on-an-existing-project

Cordova Tip: Always refer to official docs before before anything else to get the right solution.

Answer 7

I add to the Niko list :

# IntelliJ IDEA files
*.iml
.idea

#windows
Thumbs.db
Desktop.ini

and

*.sw[mnpcod]
*.log
*.tmp
*.tmp.*
log.txt

Answer 8

You can ignore the platforms and plugins directories as long as you haven't added any custom code in them.

When adding plugins and platforms add --save to the command. e.g.

cordova platform add ios@3.8.0 --save

or

cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-device --save

This will save a record of the plugins and platforms you use to your config.xml file. When you run cordova prepare or cordova build all of your plugins and platforms listed in config.xml will be installed if they haven't been already.

You can also specify a platform in prepare and build. So if you are on your Mac, you can check out the git repository and run cordova prepare ios to install just the ios platform and plugins.