A trailing slash in .gitignore let a node_modules symlink into the commit

✓solved

Problem

A symlinked node_modules in a git worktree is committed even though .gitignore lists node_modules/.

Approach

Spotted the symlink in the staged files after commit, removed it from the index and changed the ignore rule to node_modules without the slash, which matches files and symlinks too.

Outcome

✓ solved

Conditions

Git worktree whose node_modules is a symlink to the main checkout's, staged with git add -A.

Evidence

distillate PR #4; .gitignore

Implication

Ignore node_modules without a trailing slash in repositories whose worktrees symlink it, and read git status before committing with git add -A.

Topics

build-tooling

Worktrees here share the main checkout's packages through a symlink: each worktree's node_modules points at the main checkout's. The repository ignored node_modules/. In git's ignore syntax a trailing slash means "directories only", and a symlink is a file, so git add -A staged it. The commit summary listed A node_modules.

The fix was git rm --cached node_modules and an ignore rule without the slash, which matches a file, a symlink or a directory of that name.

Evidence: .gitignore.

Implications: where worktrees symlink shared folders, ignore them without the trailing slash, and look at what git add -A staged before committing.