Perforce Universal GameDev p4ignore - Unreal, Unity, Godot, Blender, Maya, and more DCC tools (please comment with suggestions)

.p4ignore

# =============================================================================
#  UNIVERSAL P4IGNORE  —  Unreal · Unity · Godot + common DCC / IDE tooling
# =============================================================================
#  Point P4IGNORE at this file (e.g.  p4 set P4IGNORE=.p4ignore ) and place it at
#  your workspace root. Designed to need no per-project editing for common layouts.
#  Safety-first: it aims never to ignore a file you actually track. If a rule ever
#  catches something you DO want in Perforce, add a  !path  line right after it.
#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
#  P4IGNORE SYNTAX  (why the patterns below look the way they do)
#    /foo       leading slash  -> anchored to THIS file's directory (root)
#    foo/       trailing slash -> a DIRECTORY only, never a file of that name
#    foo/       no slashes     -> matches at ANY depth, including root
#    /*/foo/    single *       -> exactly ONE level deep (* never crosses '/')
#    **/foo/    double star    -> depth >= 1, and SKIPS ROOT; for "all depths
#               incl. root" use a bare  foo/  (that is why Saved/ below is bare)
#    A/b/       mid-slash, no leading slash -> FLOATS to any depth; add a leading
#               slash to anchor it to the root
#    !foo       leading '!'    -> re-include (un-ignore) — works even under an
#               already-ignored directory
#    [Ll]       character classes are NOT supported -> split into two lines
#    ?          NO single-character wildcard -> '?' matches a literal '?'
#
#  BINARY PHILOSOPHY:
#    Perforce versions binaries natively, and you usually WANT them tracked — sync
#    prebuilt editor binaries, DLLs, source art and built data instead of making
#    every user recompile. So this file TRACKS binaries and ignores only the
#    specific generated files inside those trees. Do NOT add blanket binary rules
#    (*.dll, Binaries/*, SourceArt/*.png, ...) or you will stop tracking files you need.
#
#  LAYOUT ASSUMPTION: an engine project sits at the workspace root or ONE level
#    below it. Deeper nesting may need a per-repo tweak (add another  /*/…  line).
#
#  Assembled from community Unreal / Unity / Godot ignore templates and a
#  DNEG-derived Unreal + Perforce template; verified against the P4 client.
# =============================================================================


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Version control cross-pollination
###############################################################################
.git/
.gitignore
.gitattributes
.gitmodules
.tgitconfig
.collabignore


###############################################################################
# SHARED — OS-generated files
###############################################################################
.DS_Store
.DS_Store*
._*
.Spotlight-V100
.Trashes
Thumbs.db
ehthumbs.db
Desktop.ini
$RECYCLE.BIN/


###############################################################################
# SHARED — IDE: Visual Studio
###############################################################################
.vs/
# Solution/project files: anchored root+1 only. Unreal REGENERATES root .sln,
# but tracks .csproj under Engine/Source/Programs/** — so never ignore bare.
/*.sln
/*/*.sln
/*.slnx
/*/*.slnx
/*.csproj
/*/*.csproj
/*.vcxproj
/*/*.vcxproj
*.suo
*.opensdf
*.sdf
*.mdb
*.opendb
*.VC.db
*.VC.opendb
*.user
*.userprefs
*.pidb
*.booproj
*.svd
# .pdb: ignored by default (debug symbols). Exception a specific one if your
# team versions prebuilt-binary symbols. `!*.pdb/` keeps a dir literally named .pdb
*.pdb
!*.pdb/
*.pdb.meta
*.pidb.meta
*.mdb.meta
# obj/ = C#/VS build intermediate (any depth; no engine tracks a source dir 'obj')
obj/
Obj/
**/launchSettings.json
*.csproj.cache
*.csproj.nuget.*
*.csproj.AssemblyReference.cache
*.csprojAssemblyReference.cache
# DO NOT ignore *.csproj.props — shared build configuration, must be tracked
!*.csproj.props


###############################################################################
# SHARED — IDE: JetBrains (Rider / CLion / etc.)
###############################################################################
.idea/
!.idea/runConfigurations
*.DotSettings.user


###############################################################################
# SHARED — IDE: VS Code
###############################################################################
# Some teams intentionally version shared .vscode config; uncomment the !lines.
.vscode/
# !.vscode/launch.json
# !.vscode/tasks.json
# !.vscode/extensions.json
*.code-workspace


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Perforce local config
###############################################################################
.p4config
p4config.txt
.p4config.txt
.p4sync.txt
.p4ignore.local


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Python (tooling / build scripts)
###############################################################################
__pycache__/
*.pyc
*.egg-info/
.venv/


###############################################################################
# SHARED — AI / LLM tooling
###############################################################################
.mcp.json
.ai/


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Android / Gradle / Firebase  (mobile game builds)
###############################################################################
.gradle/
crashlytics-build.properties


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Xcode user data (iOS/macOS builds — all engines)
###############################################################################
*.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/
*.xcodeproj/xcuserdata/
*.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcuserdata/


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Packaged application build OUTPUTS (regenerable end products)
# NOTE: these are final packages, not source binaries. Exception any you archive.
###############################################################################
*.apk
*.aab
*.ipa
*.dSYM.zip


###############################################################################
###############################################################################
##  UNREAL ENGINE   (tested against UE source + Horde)
###############################################################################
###############################################################################

# --- Core generated directories ---
# Engine-shipped demo content (Samples / FeaturePacks / Templates) — ROOT ONLY.
# The /*/ one-level variants were dropped: they also caught tracked GAME content
# like Content/Samples/ and Content/Templates/. If you sync full engine SOURCE one
# level down (e.g. UnrealEngine/Samples/), add that path explicitly yourself.
/Samples/
/FeaturePacks/
/Templates/

# Saved / Intermediate: pure generated content, no legit tracked dir by these
# names in UE. Bare = all depths incl. root (correct; `**/` would skip root).
Saved/
Intermediate/

# Derived Data Cache (bare = all depths). Re-include a genuine source-tree DDC.
DerivedDataCache/
!**/Source/**/DerivedDataCache/

# Unreal workspace / dependency config
.ue4dependencies
.ugs/

# Crash reports
crashinfo--*

# Linux/Qt project files (UBT-generated); anchored root+1 so a hand-authored,
# tracked Qt tool project (Tools/QtEditor/QtEditor.pro) isn't eaten.
/*.pro
/*/*.pro
/*.pri
/*/*.pri
*.kdev4

# Obj-C / Swift build maps + debug bundles under Binaries
*.hmap
Binaries/**/*.dSYM
Binaries/**/*.dsym

# Local builds — but keep the UGS archive workspace nested inside it
# (a re-include under an already-ignored directory, which P4 supports).
/LocalBuilds/
!ArchiveForUGS-Perforce/

# --- Engine-specific generated files (Engine/ at root or nested) ---
# UnrealBuildTool logs & config
Engine/Programs/UnrealBuildTool/*.txt
Engine/Programs/UnrealBuildTool/Log*.json
Engine/Programs/UnrealBuildTool/Log*.uba
Engine/Programs/UnrealBuildTool/Trace*.uba
*.uatbuildrecord

# Build receipts
Engine/Build/Receipts/

# C# program intermediates & saved folders
Engine/Source/Programs/*/obj/
Engine/Programs/*/Saved/

# .NET build artifacts (generated), but KEEP the ThirdParty/DotNET shipped ones
*.deps.json
*.runtimeconfig.json
**/bin/**/ref/
# Re-include sidecars for ANY tracked binary under a Binaries/ dir (plugins, game,
# Restricted, Engine). Both forms cover the `**/` root-skip: files directly in the
# dir AND in subfolders. Sidecars in bin//obj/ (build junk) stay ignored.
!**/Binaries/**/*.deps.json
!**/Binaries/*.deps.json
!**/Binaries/**/*.runtimeconfig.json
!**/Binaries/*.runtimeconfig.json

# Test coverage mapping files
.msCoverageSourceRootsMapping_*
CoverletSourceRootsMapping_*

# Documentation-tool output
Engine/Binaries/DotNET/UnrealBuildTool.xml
Engine/Binaries/DotNET/AutomationScripts/BuildGraph.Automation.xml

# UBT-generated version / linker export files (specific, inside Binaries)
Engine/Binaries/**/*.version
Engine/Binaries/**/*.exp

# Swarm local save files
Engine/Binaries/DotNET/SwarmAgent.DeveloperOptions.xml
Engine/Binaries/DotNET/SwarmAgent.Options.xml

# HoloLens WMRInterop autogenerated files
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/packages/
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/MixedRealityInteropHoloLens/Generated Files/
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/MixedRealityInteropHoloLens/x64/
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/MixedRealityInteropHoloLens/ARM64/
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/MixedRealityInterop/x64/
Engine/Source/ThirdParty/WindowsMixedRealityInterop/MixedRealityInterop/ARM64/


###############################################################################
###############################################################################
##  UNITY   (generic names anchored + case-split for P4 & UE safety)
###############################################################################
###############################################################################
# Generic dir names are anchored to root+one-level so they can't reach into
# Unreal engine source. [Xx] classes are split (P4 has no char classes).

# Asset import cache / compiled scripts / shader cache (can be many GB)
/Library/
/library/
/*/Library/
/*/library/

# Runtime temp (exists only while the editor runs)
/Temp/
/temp/
/*/Temp/
/*/temp/
.utmp/

# Editor / shader-compiler logs
/Logs/
/logs/
/*/Logs/
/*/logs/

# Per-user editor prefs, layouts, search indices
/UserSettings/
/usersettings/
/*/UserSettings/
/*/usersettings/

# Unity-generated C# project files (root+1; Unreal tracks nested .csproj)
*.unityproj

# Editor OBJ exports & Consulo/MonoDevelop leftovers
ExportedObj/
/*/ExportedObj/
.consulo/

# Profiler / diagnostics (can be huge, may contain sensitive data)
/MemoryCaptures/
/memorycaptures/
/Recordings/
/recordings/
# Unity crash file (written at project root; anchored so it can't eat a tracked doc)
/sysinfo.txt
mono_crash.*

# NOTE: no bare "*.log" — the /Logs/ rules above already catch Unity's real logs,
# and a bare *.log eats tracked files like changelog.log or golden test logs.

# Package/import outputs
*.unitypackage
*.unitypackage.meta

# TestRunner-generated scenes
InitTestScene*.unity*
/Assets/InitTestScene*.unity*

# Rider plugin auto-installed by Unity
/Assets/Plugins/Editor/JetBrains*

# Asset Store Tools (downloaded on demand, not project content)
/Assets/AssetStoreTools/

# --- Addressables: source config (Assets/AddressableAssetsData/) IS tracked;
#     only the generated binary output is ignored. Anchored to Assets/ (leading
#     slash = anchored to root). ---
/ServerData/
/Assets/StreamingAssets/aa/
/Assets/StreamingAssets/aa.meta
/Assets/AddressableAssetsData/link.xml
/Assets/AddressableAssetsData/link.xml.meta
/Assets/AddressableAssetsData/*/*.bin
/Assets/AddressableAssetsData/*/*.bin.meta
/Assets/Addressables_Temp/

# Visual Scripting auto-generated caches (source config is kept)
/Assets/Unity.VisualScripting.Generated/VisualScripting.Flow/UnitOptions.db
/Assets/Unity.VisualScripting.Generated/VisualScripting.Flow/UnitOptions.db.meta

# Auto-generated Assets caches
/Assets/SceneDependencyCache/

# Blender import leftovers (Unity auto-imports .blend; .blend1 backup is junk)
*.blend1.meta

# NOTE: Unity BUILD OUTPUT (Build/, Builds/) is intentionally NOT ignored here.
# Those names collide with Unreal's tracked Build/ and Engine/Build/ at the same
# depth, so a universal file can't safely ignore them. Unity-only teams: add
#     /Build/
#     /Builds/
# per-repo, or (recommended) put build output in a separate depot/stream.


###############################################################################
###############################################################################
##  GODOT   (Godot 4 + legacy Godot 3 Mono)
###############################################################################
###############################################################################

# Godot 4+ engine cache & platform hint
.godot/
.nomedia

# Godot 4.2+ native extension copy
~*.dll

# Godot 3 import cache
.import/

# Export CONFIG with secrets (export_presets.cfg IS tracked; these are not)
export.cfg
export_credentials.cfg

# Imported translations (generated from CSV)
*.translation

# Godot Mono (C#) generated
# NOTE: dropped legacy Godot-3 "data_*/" — it collides with common data-driven
# game folders (data_tables/, Content/data_driven/). Godot 4 uses .godot/ anyway.
.mono/
mono_crash.*.json


###############################################################################
###############################################################################
##  DCC AUTOSAVE / BACKUP FILES
##  Scope: autosave/backup only — the ones that commonly cause P4 noise.
##  Extension/dir-specific on purpose, to avoid catching real project files.
###############################################################################
###############################################################################

# Blender
*.blend1
*.blend2
*.blend@
untitled.blend

# Autodesk Maya
*.ma.swatches
*.mb.swatches
*_incrementalSave_*.ma
*_incrementalSave_*.mb
incrementalSave/
# (dropped Maya "scenes/edits/": a mid-slash pattern floats to any depth, and
#  "scenes/" is a common Unity/Godot dir — it would eat e.g. Assets/scenes/edits/)
.mayaSwatches/

# Autodesk 3ds Max
*.max.bak
autoback/
MaxStart.max

# Cinema 4D
*.c4d.zip
*.c4d~

# Houdini
*.hip.bak
*.hipnc.bak
*.hiplc.bak

# ZBrush
*.ZTL.bak
*.ZPR.bak
# QuickSave: scoped to ZBrush extensions — a bare "QuickSave*" also eats source
# files like QuickSaveSystem.cs and the popular Unity "QuickSave" asset.
QuickSave*.ZPR
QuickSave*.ZTL

# Substance Painter / Designer
*.spp.bak
*.sbs.bak
*.sbsar.bak

# Adobe Creative Suite (full extensions to avoid false matches)
*.psd~
*.ai~
*.indd~
*.fla~
*.aep~
*.prproj~
Adobe After Effects Auto-Save/
Adobe Premiere Pro Auto-Save/
# (dropped "Photoshop Temp*": too broad — matched e.g. "Photoshop Template.psd";
#  PS scratch/temp files normally live on the scratch disk, not the versioned tree)

# Pro Tools
*.ptx~
*.ptf~
Session File Backups/

# Reaper
*.rpp-bak
*.rpp~

# Logic Pro
*.logic/Alternatives/
*.logic/Backups/

# Cubase / Nuendo
*.cpr.bak
*.npr.bak

# Ableton Live
*.als~

# FMOD
*.fspro.bak
*.fspro~

# Wwise
*.wproj.bak
*.wsettings.bak


###############################################################################
# SHARED — Generic temp / editor swap files (keep last; broad but low-risk)
###############################################################################
*.tmp
*.temp
*.swp
*~
# UE packaging load-order dir (usually regenerated). If your team uses pak
# load-order optimization and COMMITS its GameOpenOrder file, re-include it:
#   !Build/*/FileOpenOrder/
FileOpenOrder/

@mrsteyk Thanks so much! You're totally right about the Logs files as well as the other Unity ignores being too broad.
I just updated to make the Unity ignore paths only match at the root or one folder deep in the workspace, so it won't match those other files.
I also added the Trace*.uba files you mentioned.

If you're able to test it out and let me know if it works that would be great, but I appreciate your input either way.
I really appreciate the feedback! It helps a lot!

I've made some significant changes to this to add a lot more comments and be more careful with how broad some of the ignore statements can be.