diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0aa7aa64..d2b65cde 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,14 +1,29 @@
-build/*
+# 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'
+
+# Bytecompiled Python
+*.py[cod]
+
+# Packages
+*.egg-info
+
+# Unit test / coverage reports
+.coverage
+cover/
 .stestr/
 .tox/
-nova_powervm.egg-info/
-*.pyc
-/.idea/
-.coverage
-/cover/
-.settings/
-doc/build
+
+# Sphinx
+doc/build/
+
+# pbr generates these
 AUTHORS
 ChangeLog
-*.DS_Store
-.venv