Ignore files (.kodikignore)

A .kodikignore file in the workspace root lets you explicitly prevent the agent from accessing certain paths. The agent will not be able to read, list, search, or edit matched files — regardless of how it tries to access them.

Syntax

.kodikignore uses the same syntax as .gitignore:

# Block a secrets directory
secrets/

# Block specific files
.env
.env.local

# Block all PEM files
*.pem

# Block a confidential data directory
private/data/

The .kodikignore file itself is also automatically hidden from the agent.

What gets blocked

Kodik enforces .kodikignore rules at multiple levels:

File operations. The agent cannot read, write, or list blocked paths through built-in tools (file reading, editing, search).

Shell commands. Kodik parses shell commands before they run. If a command would access a blocked path — via cat, cp, grep, python, node, and many others — the command is rejected. Both read commands and destructive commands (rm, mv, etc.) are blocked.

Live reload

KodikIgnoreController watches .kodikignore for changes using a file watcher. Patterns update automatically when you save the file — no IDE restart needed.

When to use `.kodikignore`

Files containing secrets that should not enter the prompt (.env, keys, certificates)
Large generated directories the agent does not need (dist/, node_modules/)
Confidential content: personal documents, user data, legal files
Build artifacts and temp files that clutter search results