Add "Add to .gitignore" option to Commit Panel Context Menu

[mrsoto]

Description:

This Feature Request proposes to enhance the developer workflow by adding the ability to add files to .gitignore and git/info/exclude directly from the context menu in the Commit Panel of Zed.

Problem:

Currently, to ignore an unwanted file in version control (e.g., temporary files, logs, build reports) in Zed, the user must perform the following steps:

1. Identify the file in the Commit Panel.
2. Open the file in the editor.
3. Open or create the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file.
4. Add the corresponding pattern for the file to the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file.
5. Save the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file.

Proposed Solution:

Implement an "Add to .gitignore" (and "Add to git/info/exclude") option in the context menu that appears when right-clicking a file in the Commit Panel. This option, when selected, will automatically:

• Append the file name to the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file.
• (Optional) Prompt the user if they would like to add a more general pattern to ignore multiple similar files (e.g., *.log).
• (Optional) Offer the option to open the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file for editing after adding the entry.

Benefits:

• Increased Efficiency: Reduces the number of steps required to ignore files, saving time and effort.
• Improved Workflow: Allows developers to ignore files without interrupting their workflow.
• Consistency: Makes it easier to keep the .gitignore or git/info/exclude file updated and organized.
• Reduced Friction: Making it easier to add to .gitignore encourages developers to keep their repository clean.

User Story:

• As a developer,
• I want to be able to add files to .gitignore or git/info/exclude directly from the Zed Commit Panel,
• So that I can quickly ignore unwanted files and keep my repository clean without having to navigate between different files and windows.

Technical Considerations (Optional):

• User Interface: The "Add to .gitignore" option should be intuitively integrated into the Commit Panel context menu.
• .gitignore File Detection: Zed should find and use the correct .gitignore or git/info/exclude file within the repository directory. If it doesn't exist, it should create it.
• Pattern Handling: Consider offering more sophisticated pattern options (e.g., ignore by extension, by name, by directory).
• Confirmation: Implement confirmation messages or notifications to inform the user about the file being added to .gitignore or git/info/exclude.

Priority: Medium/Low (Depending on the relative importance of other features)

Possible Future Improvements:

• Add the functionality to remove files from .gitignore from the same context menu.
• Allow the user to specify a pattern when adding the file to .gitignore.
• Add to .gitignore from Untracked File Tree Context Menu

This future enhancement would extend the functionality of the "Add to .gitignore" feature by integrating it directly into the file tree/explorer view within Zed. Specifically, when a user right-clicks on a file that is currently identified as untracked (i.e., not under Git's control), a "Add to .gitignore" option would be available in the context menu. This would streamline the process of ignoring new files as they are created or discovered within the project, without requiring the user to first attempt to commit the file or open the Commit Panel. This would further improve the developer workflow and ease of maintaining a clean and organized Git repository.