# Semgrepignore v2 reference

Source: https://semgrep.dev/docs/semgrepignore-v2-reference

- [](/docs/)- [Write rules](/docs/writing-rules/overview)- References- Semgrepignore v2**On this pageSemgrepignore v2 reference
This document covers the Semgrepignore **v2** target filtering system that replaces the legacy **v1** implementation, referred to as &quot;v1&quot;.

## The target filtering process[​](#the-target-filtering-process)
A `semgrep scan` command takes one or more scan roots as
arguments. The default scan root is the current folder, `.`.
Scan roots are folders, individual files, or named pipes that should be
expanded into a list of regular files to be analyzed. Symbolic links are
allowed as scan roots.

Expanding a folder consists of listing its contents recursively with
the following exceptions:

- Symbolic links other than the original scan roots are ignored.
- In Git projects, Git submodules are ignored.
- Paths excluded via Semgrepignore patterns are ignored. Semgrepignore
patterns can be of different sources which are detailed in the
upcoming section.

The list of files obtained by expanding the scan roots are called
**target files**. To obtain target files, Semgrep follows a
number of fixed rules and some configurable filters.

For each scan root, Semgrep infers a **project root** (v2 only). The
project root determines the location of applicable `.semgrepignore`
files as well as `.gitignore` files in Git projects. In v1 where is no
notion of a project root, the `.semgrepignore` file is unique and
looked up in the current folder.

Semgrep determines the project root for each scan root by first
obtaining the real path (physical path) to the scan root. Then,
Semgrep searches up the file hierarchy for a `.git` folder or
similar used by one of the popular file version control systems
(Git, Mercurial, etc.) indicating a project root.
If no project root is found this way, it
defaults to the scan root itself if it is a folder or to its containing
folder if it is a regular file.

cautionAs an experimental debugging aid, Semgrep provides the `--x-ls` option
to list the target files. `--x-ls-long` additionally prints excluded
files and a brief justification. Beware that these two options are
likely to be renamed or change their behavior in the
future. Meanwhile, its typical usage is:

`semgrep --x-ls`or

`semgrep --x-ls --experimental`
## Sources of Semgrepignore patterns[​](#sources-of-semgrepignore-patterns)
A Semgrepignore pattern is a glob pattern that is matched by Semgrep
against file paths to determine whether these paths should be allowed or
disallowed as target files.

Semgrep looks up Semgrepignore patterns in the following places:

- command-line `--exclude` and `--include` filters;
- the `.semgrepignore` file in the current folder (v1 only);
- all the `.semgrepignore` files in the project (v2 only);
- all the `.gitignore` files in the project (v2 only);
- default Semgrepignore patterns.

These sources of filters are grouped into precedence levels.
Within a precedence level, a path can be deselected and reselected
any number of times. After applying all the filters within a
precedence level, only the selected paths make it to the next
level. There are two precedence levels:

- command-line `--exclude` and `--include` filters;
- default Semgrepignore patterns, `.gitignore` files,
`.semgrepignore` files.

For example, consider this `.semgrepignore` file:

`*.c!hello.c`
In the absence of `--exclude` or `--include` filters,
`hello.c` will be first deselected by `*.c` and then
reselected by the negated pattern `!hello.c`.

However, if we move the `*.c` exclusion pattern to the command line by
invoking `semgrep --exclude *.c`,
the file `hello.c` is deselected and ignored even if
the `.semgrepignore` file contains `!hello.c`.

In a Git project under Semgrepignore v2, `.gitignore` and
`.semgrepignore` files are consulted in the same order as in the
Gitignore specification. In a folder containing both a `.gitignore`
and a `.semgrepignore` file, the `.gitignore` file is read before the
`.semgrepignore` file.

Default Semgrepignore patterns apply in projects that lack a main
`.semgrepignore` file. In v1, the main `.semgrepignore` file is
expected in the current folder. In v2, it is expected at the project
root. These default patterns are:

`# Common large pathsnode_modules/build/dist/vendor/.env/.venv/.tox/*.min.js.npm/.yarn/# Common test pathstest/tests/testsuite/*_test.go# Semgrep rules folder.semgrep# Semgrep-action log folder.semgrep_logs/`
## Semgrepignore pattern syntax[​](#semgrepignore-pattern-syntax)
In Semgrepignore v2, the pattern syntax conforms to the
[Gitignore pattern
syntax](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitignore#_pattern_format).
They are glob patterns which support `*` and `**` with their usual
meanings. For example, pattern `**/tmp/*.js` matches paths `tmp/foo.js` and
`src/tmp/bar.js`.
Note that the Gitignore specification contains subtleties associated
with determining whether a pattern is anchored (relative to the folder
containing the pattern) or floating (relative to the folder containing
the pattern or any of its subfolders). For
example, `/a` and `a/b` are anchored patterns but not `a/`. Please
consult the Gitignore documentation for details.

As a deviation from the Gitignore syntax, Semgrepignore syntax supports
`:include` directives. `:include` followed by an unquoted file path
relative to the path of folder of the source `.semgrepignore` file
(the current folder in v1) inserts patterns from that file.
A common use case is to insert the line `:include .gitignore` at the
beginning of a `.semgrepignore` file so as to avoid duplicating the
Gitignore patterns. Included files may not contain include
directives.

## Legacy Semgrepignore v1[​](#legacy-semgrepignore-v1)
In Semgrepignore v1, the following exceptions to the v2
specification apply:

- unsupported: pattern negation with `!`
- unsupported: character ranges such as `[a-z]`
- only one `.semgrepignore` file is supported and it must be in the
current folder
Not finding what you need in this doc? Ask questions in our [Community Slack group](https://go.semgrep.dev/slack), or see [Support](/docs/support/) for other ways to get help.

[Edit this page](https://github.com/semgrep/semgrep-docs/edit/main/docs/semgrepignore-v2-reference.md)Last updated on Aug 28, 2025**