Re: git 2.34.0: Behavior of `**` in gitignore is different from previous versions.

Chris Torek [off-list ref] writes:

...  So the standard
explanation -- at least, the one I use -- is this:

 * Git opens and reads the working tree directory.  For each file
   or directory that is actually present here, Git checks it
   against the ignore rules.  Some rules match only directories
   and others match both directories and files.  Some rules say
   "do ignore" and some say "do not ignore".

 * The *last* applicable rule wins.

 * If this is a file and the file is ignored, it's ignored.
   Unless, that is, it's in the index already, because then it's
   tracked and can't be ignored.

 * If this is a directory and the directory is ignored, it's
   not even opened and read.  It's not in the index because
   directories are never in the index (at least nominally).
   If it is opened and read, the entire set of rules here
   apply recursively.

This works, but skips over files that are in the index and are in
a directory that won't be read.  So I add one last rule, which is

All of the above is sensible.  If you deal with a path that is in
the index upfront, you can simplify the later rules somewhat, I
would think.  I.e. add a first rule before everything else that
says:

 * A file in the index is not ignored.  Everything below is about a
   path not in the index.

Then your third rule can lose "Unless...", and you do not have to
add one last rule outside the bulleted list, either.

;-)