# Ignoring Files or Folders

Sealights' Node.js agent provides the ability to exclude files or folders from the analysis.

* To ignore files from being scanned, create a file called `.slignore` and list in it the file names to match against
* If you are using source maps, you can ignore original files from being included by creating a file called `.slignore.generated`
* Both files use glob pattern aligned to .gitignore format

{% hint style="info" %}
A **common best practice** is to analyze your project files via the output of a command like `tree --du -h -I 'node_modules|sl-dry-run-output|sl_dist' -P "*.[jt]s*"`\
When executed from the root folder of your project, it helps to define accurate *Ignore Rules* described below based on the detailed list of javascript and typescript files the agent will find.
{% endhint %}

## Ignoring test files <a href="#ignoring-test-files" id="ignoring-test-files"></a>

For example, a common best practice is to exclude all the test files from the Build Scan.

If you decide to ignore the test files, the content of your .**slignore** file will be similar to:

```
**/*test.js
```

If you prefer the option to ignore the TS files, your **.slignore.generated** will be similar to

```
**/*.spec.ts
```

## Ignoring Angular bundle files <a href="#ignoring-angular-bundle-files" id="ignoring-angular-bundle-files"></a>

It is recommended for angular applications to add the following to your **.slignore** file:

```
*vendor*.js
*runtime*.js
*inline*.js
*polyfills*.js
```

It is recommended as well to ignore legacy versions of JS files generated for backward compatibility of older browser versions like `es5`, `es2015`…

```
**/es5 
*-es5.js
```

{% hint style="info" %}
More information about the potential consequences is detailed in a dedicated article [Angular 8+: Duplicate Method Reporting](/knowledgebase/setup-and-configuration/troubleshooting-faq/node-javascript/angular-8+-duplicate-method-reporting.md)
{% endhint %}

## Ignoring common mapped files (Images and HTML) <a href="#ignoring-common-mapped-files-images-and-html" id="ignoring-common-mapped-files-images-and-html"></a>

It is recommended to ignore Images and HTML files (as they are listed in the source map files) by adding the following to your **.slignore.generated** file:

{% code overflow="wrap" lineNumbers="true" %}

```
*.html
*.png
*.svg
```

{% endcode %}

## Ignoring all but specific files (whitelisting) <a href="#ignoring-all-but-specific-files-whitelisting" id="ignoring-all-but-specific-files-whitelisting"></a>

In certain projects, it is easier to define only the files that are required. Below, a sample of `.slignore` file definition with that approach:

{% code overflow="wrap" lineNumbers="true" %}

```
#Ignore everything but files matching patterns below (starting with !)
*
!*main*.js
```

{% endcode %}

{% hint style="info" %}
For more details about the format, please refer to [the official git documentation](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitignore) that Sealights strictly aligns with.
{% endhint %}


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