diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4174890
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# remove files from deployment using `git archive`
+
+# common files
+.commit-template  export-ignore
+.gitattributes    export-ignore
+.gitignore        export-ignore
+.mailmap          export-ignore
+.travis.yml       export-ignore
+
+# several files and directories we never want to export 
+# a little bit belt and braces as the most of these files
+# should never ever be in the repository
+
+*~         export-ignore
+.kdev4     export-ignore
+*build*    export-ignore
+*.user     export-ignore