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Documentation for PR: 4075 #210

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Documentation for PR: 4075 #210

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11 changes: 9 additions & 2 deletions docs/features/rooignore.md
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Expand Up @@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ The `.rooignore` file is a key feature for managing Roo Code's interaction with

* **Purpose**: To protect sensitive information, prevent accidental changes to build artifacts or large assets, and generally define Roo's operational scope within your workspace.
* **How to Use**: Create a file named `.rooignore` in the root directory of your VS Code workspace. List patterns in this file to tell Roo which files and directories to ignore.
* **Scope**: `.rooignore` affects both Roo's tools and context mentions (like `@directory` attachments).

Roo actively monitors the `.rooignore` file. Any changes you make are reloaded automatically, ensuring Roo always uses the most current rules. The `.rooignore` file itself is always implicitly ignored, so Roo cannot change its own access rules.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -46,9 +47,14 @@ The [`insert_content`](/advanced-usage/available-tools/insert-content) and [`sea

### File Discovery and Listing

* **[`list_files`](/advanced-usage/available-tools/list-files) Tool**: When Roo lists files, ignored files are typically omitted or marked with a 🔒 symbol (see "User Experience" below).
* **[`list_files`](/advanced-usage/available-tools/list-files) Tool & `@directory` Attachments**: When Roo lists files or when you use `@directory` attachments, ignored files are omitted or marked with a 🔒 symbol (see "User Experience" below). Both use identical filtering logic.
* **Environment Details**: Information about your workspace (like open tabs and project structure) provided to Roo is filtered to exclude or mark ignored items.

### Context Mentions

* **`@directory` Attachments**: Directory contents respect `.rooignore` patterns. Ignored files are filtered out or marked with `[🔒]` prefix depending on the `showRooIgnoredFiles` setting.
* **Single File Mentions**: Ignored files return "(File is ignored by .rooignore)" instead of content.

### Command Execution

* **[`execute_command`](/advanced-usage/available-tools/execute-command) Tool**: This tool checks if a command (from a predefined list like `cat` or `grep`) targets an ignored file. If so, execution is blocked.
Expand All @@ -62,7 +68,8 @@ The [`insert_content`](/advanced-usage/available-tools/insert-content) and [`sea

## User Experience and Notifications

* **Visual Cue (🔒)**: In file listings, files ignored by `.rooignore` may be marked with a lock symbol (🔒), depending on the `showRooIgnoredFiles` setting (defaults to `true`).
* **Visual Cue (🔒)**: In file listings and `@directory` attachments, files ignored by `.rooignore` may be marked with a lock symbol (🔒), depending on the `showRooIgnoredFiles` setting (defaults to `true`).
* **Ignore Messages**: Single file mentions return "(File is ignored by .rooignore)" instead of content.
* **Error Messages**: If a tool operation is blocked, Roo receives an error: `"Access to [file_path] is blocked by the .rooignore file settings. You must try to continue in the task without using this file, or ask the user to update the .rooignore file."`
* **Chat Notifications**: You will typically see a notification in the Roo chat interface when an action is blocked due to `.rooignore`.

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