diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..821df14b1ff292debb55dbd2ea8a48c1c3a7c21e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+
+# /
+/Makefile
+/Makefile.in
+/config.*
+/configure
+/aclocal.m4
+/dependencies.m4
+/autom4te.cache
+/depcomp
+/install-sh
+/missing
+/mkinstalldirs
+/libtool
+/semantic.cache
+/stamp-h1
+/.deps
+/.libs
+/dune
+/contact.pc
+/am
+/ltmain.sh
+/1bcontact
+/2bcontact
+/adaptmeasure
+/1badaptmeasure
+/nladaptmeasure
+/nbcontact
+/nonlincontact
+/het2bcontact
+
+# /knee_testsuite/
+/knee_testsuite/tmp
+/knee_testsuite/testSurf1.surf
+/knee_testsuite/testSurf2.surf
+/knee_testsuite/*.eps
+/knee_testsuite/*.svg
+
+# /m4/
+/m4/Makefile.in
+/m4/Makefile
+
+# /src/
+/src/semantic.cache
+
+# /test/
+/test/.deps
+/test/.libs
+/test/Makefile
+/test/Makefile.in
+/test/semantic.cache