About exclusion
By default, all files in your project are included in your output (regardless of whether they’re listed in the sidebar_doc.yml file or not). To exclude files, note them in the exclude section in the configuration file. Here’s a sample:
exclude:
- mydoc_writers_*
- bower_components
- Gemfile
If you have different outputs for your site, you’ll want to customize the exclude sections in your various configuration files.
Exclude strategies
Here’s the process I recommend. Put all files in the root directory of your project. Suppose one project’s name is alpha and the other is beta. Then name each file as follows:
- alpha_sample.html
- beta_sample.html
In your exclude list for your beta project, specify it as follows:
exclude:
- alpha_*
In your exclude list for your alpha project, specify it as follows:
exclude:
- beta_*
If you have more sophisticated exclusion, add another level to your file names. For example, if you have different programming languages you want to filter by, add this:
- alpha_java_sample.html
- alpha_cpp_sample.html
Then you exclude files for your Alpha C++ project as follows:
exclude:
- alpha_java_*
- beta_*
And you exclude files for your Alpha Java project as follows:
exclude:
- alpha_cpp_*
- alpha_beta_*
When you exclude folders, include the trailing slash at the end of the folder name:
exclude:
- images/alpha/
There isn’t a way to automatically exclude anything. By default, everything is included unless you explicitly list it under the exclude section.
Excluding draft content
If you’re working on a draft, put it inside the _drafts folder or add published: false in the frontmatter. The _drafts folder is excluded by default, so you don’t have to specify it in your exclude list.
Limitations
What if a file should appear in two projects but not the third? This can get tricky. For some files, rather than using a wildcard, you may need to manually specify the entire filename that you’re excluding instead of excluding it by way of a wildcard pattern.