diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff9a1cbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Root-Gitignore: gemeinsame Patterns für Repo-Root + nested Verzeichnisse
+# (backend/, frontend/, docker/ haben zusätzlich eigene .gitignore-Files)
+
+# Environment – echte Secrets blocken, .env.example weiter mittracken
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.*.local
+!.env.example
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+
+# IDE
+.idea/
+.vscode/
+*.swp
+*.swo
+
+# Logs
+*.log
+npm-debug.log*
+
+# Temp
+tmp/
+*.tmp
+*.bak
diff --git a/backend/.gitignore b/backend/.gitignore
index c640abba..cd1098ea 100644
--- a/backend/.gitignore
+++ b/backend/.gitignore
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ node_modules/
 # Build
 dist/
 
-# Environment
+# Environment – echte Secrets blocken, .env.example weiter mittracken
 .env
 .env.local
 .env.*.local
+!.env.example
 
 # Database Backups (can be large, keep folder structure)
 prisma/backups/*
diff --git a/frontend/.gitignore b/frontend/.gitignore
index 17bb9703..1d024e29 100644
--- a/frontend/.gitignore
+++ b/frontend/.gitignore
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ node_modules/
 dist/
 dist-ssr/
 
-# Environment
+# Environment – echte Secrets blocken, .env.example weiter mittracken
 .env
 .env.local
 .env.*.local
+!.env.example
 
 # Logs
 *.log