diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e75bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Dev-only content excluded from the auto-generated "download" zip (Gitea/GitHub
+# archive endpoint respects export-ignore). Everything below stays in git history
+# and the working copy - it just won't be part of what Foundry downloads/installs.
+# Foundry only ever loads what module.json points to (esmodules/styles/languages/packs);
+# none of this is referenced at runtime.
+
+scripts/ export-ignore
+reference_scripts/ export-ignore
+tools/ export-ignore
+python/ export-ignore
+scripts_with_translation.md export-ignore
+scriptPacker.js export-ignore
+package.json export-ignore
+.gitlab-ci.yml export-ignore
+.vscode/ export-ignore
+.gitattributes export-ignore
+.gitignore export-ignore
+.DS_Store export-ignore