colbymchenry · colbymchenry · May 21, 2026 · May 21, 2026
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,37 @@ and adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
   grammar, and `web/core`, `web/modules/contrib`, `web/themes/contrib` are
   excluded by default. Resolves [#268](https://github.com/colbymchenry/codegraph/issues/268).
 
+### Changed
+- **Zero-config indexing that respects `.gitignore`.** CodeGraph no longer has a
+  config file. It indexes every file whose extension maps to a supported language
+  and honors your `.gitignore` everywhere: in git repos via git itself, and in
+  non-git projects (e.g. a freshly-scaffolded app before `git init`) by reading
+  `.gitignore` files directly — root and nested, the same way git does (via the
+  `ignore` library, so negation/anchoring/nested rules all behave correctly). To
+  keep something out of the graph, add it to `.gitignore`. **Behavior change:**
+  committed files that are *not* gitignored are now indexed even under `vendor/`,
+  `Pods/`, or a committed `dist/` — previously a hardcoded exclude list skipped
+  those names; now `.gitignore` is the single source of truth. Resolves
+  [#283](https://github.com/colbymchenry/codegraph/issues/283).
+
+### Removed
+- **`.codegraph/config.json` and the entire config surface.** Every field was
+  either inert or now redundant with `.gitignore`:
+  - `languages`/`frameworks` never affected indexing (languages are detected per
+    file from extensions; frameworks are auto-detected). `languages` was also
+    broken — its validator only knew the original 8 languages, so setting it to
+    anything newer (C#, PHP, Ruby, C/C++, Swift, Kotlin, Dart, Vue, Scala, Lua, …)
+    threw `Invalid configuration format`.
+  - `extractDocstrings`/`trackCallSites`/`customPatterns` were never read by any
+    extractor.
+  - `include` is now derived from the supported language extensions, `exclude` is
+    replaced by `.gitignore`, and `maxFileSize` (1 MB) is a constant.
+
+  **Breaking (library API):** the `CodeGraphConfig` type, the `config` option on
+  `CodeGraph.init()`, and the `getConfig()`/`updateConfig()`/`getConfigPath`
+  exports are gone. Existing `.codegraph/config.json` files are simply ignored.
+  The `.codegraphignore` marker is no longer supported — use `.gitignore`.
+
 ## [0.9.1] - 2026-05-21
 
 ### Fixed

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -418,28 +418,23 @@ cg.close();
 
 ## Configuration
 
-The `.codegraph/config.json` file controls indexing:
-
-```json
-{
-  "version": 1,
-  "languages": ["typescript", "javascript"],
-  "exclude": ["node_modules/**", "dist/**", "build/**", "*.min.js"],
-  "frameworks": [],
-  "maxFileSize": 1048576,
-  "extractDocstrings": true,
-  "trackCallSites": true
-}
-```
-
-| Option | Description | Default |
-|--------|-------------|---------|
-| `languages` | Languages to index (auto-detected if empty) | `[]` |
-| `exclude` | Glob patterns to ignore | `["node_modules/**", ...]` |
-| `frameworks` | Framework hints for better resolution | `[]` |
-| `maxFileSize` | Skip files larger than this (bytes) | `1048576` (1MB) |
-| `extractDocstrings` | Extract docstrings from code | `true` |
-| `trackCallSites` | Track call site locations | `true` |
+There isn't any — CodeGraph is zero-config. It indexes every file whose
+extension maps to a [supported language](#supported-languages) and **respects
+your `.gitignore`**: in git repos via git itself, and in non-git projects by
+reading `.gitignore` files directly (root and nested, the same way git would).
+
+What that means in practice:
+
+- Anything git ignores — `node_modules`, build output, secrets in `.env` — is
+  never indexed. **To keep something out of the graph, add it to `.gitignore`.**
+- There's no config file to write or keep in sync, and nothing to wire up per
+  language: support is automatic from the file extension.
+- Files larger than 1 MB are skipped (generated bundles, minified JS, vendored
+  blobs) — they cost parse budget for no useful symbols.
+
+> Committed files that aren't gitignored *are* indexed, even under `vendor/` or a
+> committed `dist/`. If you commit a dependency or build directory you don't want
+> in the graph, add it to `.gitignore`.
 
 ## Supported Languages
 

diff --git a/__tests__/extraction.test.ts b/__tests__/extraction.test.ts
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import { CodeGraph } from '../src';
-import { extractFromSource, scanDirectory, shouldIncludeFile } from '../src/extraction';
+import { extractFromSource, scanDirectory } from '../src/extraction';
 import { detectLanguage, isLanguageSupported, getSupportedLanguages, initGrammars, loadAllGrammars } from '../src/extraction/grammars';
 import { normalizePath } from '../src/utils';
-import { DEFAULT_CONFIG } from '../src/types';
 
 beforeAll(async () => {
   await initGrammars();
@@ -3003,48 +3002,65 @@ describe('Directory Exclusion', () => {
     cleanupTempDir(tempDir);
   });
 
-  it('should exclude node_modules directories', () => {
-    // Create structure: src/index.ts + node_modules/pkg/index.js
+  it('should exclude directories listed in .gitignore', () => {
+    // Create structure: src/index.ts + node_modules/pkg/index.js, gitignore node_modules
     const srcDir = path.join(tempDir, 'src');
     const nmDir = path.join(tempDir, 'node_modules', 'pkg');
     fs.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.mkdirSync(nmDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(srcDir, 'index.ts'), 'export const x = 1;');
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(nmDir, 'index.js'), 'module.exports = {};');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tempDir, '.gitignore'), 'node_modules/\n');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: tempDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir);
 
     expect(files).toContain('src/index.ts');
     expect(files.every((f) => !f.includes('node_modules'))).toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it('should exclude nested node_modules directories', () => {
-    // Create structure: packages/app/node_modules/pkg/index.js
+  it('should exclude nested node_modules via a root .gitignore', () => {
+    // A trailing-slash pattern with no leading slash matches at any depth.
     const srcDir = path.join(tempDir, 'packages', 'app', 'src');
     const nmDir = path.join(tempDir, 'packages', 'app', 'node_modules', 'pkg');
     fs.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.mkdirSync(nmDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(srcDir, 'index.ts'), 'export const x = 1;');
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(nmDir, 'index.js'), 'module.exports = {};');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tempDir, '.gitignore'), 'node_modules/\n');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: tempDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir);
 
     expect(files).toContain('packages/app/src/index.ts');
     expect(files.every((f) => !f.includes('node_modules'))).toBe(true);
   });
 
-  it('should exclude .git directories', () => {
+  it('should apply a nested .gitignore only to its own subtree', () => {
+    const appSrc = path.join(tempDir, 'app', 'src');
+    fs.mkdirSync(appSrc, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(appSrc, 'keep.ts'), 'export const a = 1;');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(appSrc, 'skip.ts'), 'export const b = 2;');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tempDir, 'app', '.gitignore'), 'src/skip.ts\n');
+    // A sibling with the same name outside app/ must NOT be ignored.
+    const otherDir = path.join(tempDir, 'other', 'src');
+    fs.mkdirSync(otherDir, { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(otherDir, 'skip.ts'), 'export const c = 3;');
+
+    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir);
+
+    expect(files).toContain('app/src/keep.ts');
+    expect(files).not.toContain('app/src/skip.ts');
+    expect(files).toContain('other/src/skip.ts');
+  });
+
+  it('should always skip .git directories', () => {
     const srcDir = path.join(tempDir, 'src');
     const gitDir = path.join(tempDir, '.git', 'objects');
     fs.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.mkdirSync(gitDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(srcDir, 'index.ts'), 'export const x = 1;');
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(gitDir, 'pack.ts'), 'export const y = 2;');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: tempDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir);
 
     expect(files).toContain('src/index.ts');
     expect(files.every((f) => !f.includes('.git'))).toBe(true);
@@ -3055,29 +3071,12 @@ describe('Directory Exclusion', () => {
     fs.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(srcDir, 'Button.tsx'), 'export function Button() {}');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: tempDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir);
 
     expect(files.length).toBe(1);
     expect(files[0]).toBe('src/components/Button.tsx');
     expect(files[0]).not.toContain('\\');
   });
-
-  it('should respect .codegraphignore marker', () => {
-    const srcDir = path.join(tempDir, 'src');
-    const vendorDir = path.join(tempDir, 'vendor');
-    fs.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
-    fs.mkdirSync(vendorDir, { recursive: true });
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(srcDir, 'index.ts'), 'export const x = 1;');
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(vendorDir, 'lib.ts'), 'export const y = 2;');
-    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(vendorDir, '.codegraphignore'), '');
-
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: tempDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(tempDir, config);
-
-    expect(files).toContain('src/index.ts');
-    expect(files.every((f) => !f.includes('vendor'))).toBe(true);
-  });
 });
 
 describe('Git Submodules', () => {
@@ -3124,8 +3123,7 @@ describe('Git Submodules', () => {
     );
     git(mainDir, 'commit', '-q', '-m', 'add submodule');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: mainDir };
-    const files = scanDirectory(mainDir, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(mainDir);
 
     expect(files).toContain('app.ts');
     expect(files).toContain('libs/lib/lib.ts');
@@ -3173,8 +3171,7 @@ describe('Nested non-submodule git repos', () => {
     git(path.join(root, 'sub_repo2'), 'init', '-q');
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(sub2, 'two.ts'), 'export const two = 2;');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: root };
-    const files = scanDirectory(root, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(root);
 
     // Both committed and untracked source from the nested repos must be found.
     expect(files).toContain('sub_repo1/src/one.ts');
@@ -3197,8 +3194,7 @@ describe('Nested non-submodule git repos', () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(sub, 'real.ts'), 'export const real = 1;');
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(sub, 'generated.ts'), 'export const generated = 1;');
 
-    const config = { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, rootDir: root };
-    const files = scanDirectory(root, config);
+    const files = scanDirectory(root);
 
     expect(files).toContain('sub_repo/src/real.ts');
     expect(files).not.toContain('sub_repo/src/generated.ts');

diff --git a/__tests__/foundation.test.ts b/__tests__/foundation.test.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import { CodeGraph } from '../src';
-import { DEFAULT_CONFIG, Node, Edge } from '../src/types';
-import { loadConfig, saveConfig } from '../src/config';
+import { Node, Edge } from '../src/types';
 import { isInitialized, getCodeGraphDir, validateDirectory } from '../src/directory';
 import { DatabaseConnection, getDatabasePath } from '../src/db';
 
@@ -60,41 +59,12 @@ describe('CodeGraph Foundation', () => {
       cg.close();
     });
 
-    it('should create config.json with defaults', () => {
-      const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir);
-
-      const configPath = path.join(getCodeGraphDir(tempDir), 'config.json');
-      expect(fs.existsSync(configPath)).toBe(true);
-
-      const config = cg.getConfig();
-      expect(config.version).toBe(DEFAULT_CONFIG.version);
-      expect(config.include).toEqual(DEFAULT_CONFIG.include);
-      expect(config.exclude).toEqual(DEFAULT_CONFIG.exclude);
-
-      cg.close();
-    });
-
     it('should throw if already initialized', () => {
       const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir);
       cg.close();
 
       expect(() => CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir)).toThrow(/already initialized/i);
     });
-
-    it('should accept custom config options', () => {
-      const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir, {
-        config: {
-          maxFileSize: 500000,
-          extractDocstrings: false,
-        },
-      });
-
-      const config = cg.getConfig();
-      expect(config.maxFileSize).toBe(500000);
-      expect(config.extractDocstrings).toBe(false);
-
-      cg.close();
-    });
   });
 
   describe('Opening Projects', () => {
@@ -112,17 +82,6 @@ describe('CodeGraph Foundation', () => {
     it('should throw if not initialized', () => {
       expect(() => CodeGraph.openSync(tempDir)).toThrow(/not initialized/i);
     });
-
-    it('should preserve configuration across open/close', () => {
-      const cg1 = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir, {
-        config: { maxFileSize: 123456 },
-      });
-      cg1.close();
-
-      const cg2 = CodeGraph.openSync(tempDir);
-      expect(cg2.getConfig().maxFileSize).toBe(123456);
-      cg2.close();
-    });
   });
 
   describe('Static Methods', () => {
@@ -182,31 +141,6 @@ describe('CodeGraph Foundation', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('Configuration', () => {
-    it('should load and merge config with defaults', () => {
-      const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir);
-      cg.close();
-
-      const config = loadConfig(tempDir);
-      expect(config.version).toBe(DEFAULT_CONFIG.version);
-      expect(config.rootDir).toBe(path.resolve(tempDir));
-    });
-
-    it('should update configuration', () => {
-      const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir);
-
-      cg.updateConfig({ maxFileSize: 999999 });
-
-      expect(cg.getConfig().maxFileSize).toBe(999999);
-
-      cg.close();
-
-      // Verify persistence
-      const config = loadConfig(tempDir);
-      expect(config.maxFileSize).toBe(999999);
-    });
-  });
-
   describe('Directory Management', () => {
     it('should validate directory structure', () => {
       const cg = CodeGraph.initSync(tempDir);