diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bcd888b60..2a455e079 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+# Add patterns in here to exclude files created by tools integrated with this
+# repository, such as test frameworks from the project's recommended workflow,
+# rendered documentation and package builds.
+#
+# Don't add patterns to exclude files created by preferred personal tools
+# (editors, IDEs, your operating system itself even). These should instead be
+# maintained outside the repository, for example in a ~/.gitignore file added
+# with:
+#
+# git config --global core.excludesfile '~/.gitignore'
+
 pkg/
 Gemfile.lock
 vendor/
@@ -8,9 +19,9 @@ spec/fixtures/manifests
 .bundle*/
 coverage/
 .idea/
-*.swp
 *.iml
 openstack/
+
 # Files created from releasenotes build
 releasenotes/build
 .tox