Default .gitignore generated by react-native init has overly aggressive excludes for Android/IntelliJ project files

Description

Generating a new project with the npx react-native init command creates a .gitignore file which excludes the following file types under the Android/IntelliJ heading

# Android/IntelliJ
#
build/
.idea
.gradle
local.properties
*.iml

Excluding the entire .idea directory is incorrect. In some cases, excluding all .iml files is incorrect. See https://intellij-support.jetbrains.com/hc/en-us/articles/206544839-How-to-manage-projects-under-Version-Control-Systems

React Native version:

$ npx react-native info
info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
    OS: macOS 11.1
    CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7920HQ CPU @ 3.10GHz
    Memory: 113.26 MB / 16.00 GB
    Shell: 3.2.57 - /bin/bash
  Binaries:
    Node: 14.15.3 - ~/n/bin/node
    Yarn: Not Found
    npm: 6.14.11 - ~/n/bin/npm
    Watchman: Not Found
  Managers:
    CocoaPods: 1.9.1 - /Users/chris/.rvm/rubies/ruby-2.7.0/bin/pod
  SDKs:
    iOS SDK:
      Platforms: iOS 14.3, DriverKit 20.2, macOS 11.1, tvOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2
    Android SDK:
      API Levels: 28, 29, 30
      Build Tools: 28.0.3, 29.0.3, 30.0.3
      System Images: android-28 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom, android-29 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom, android-30 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom
      Android NDK: Not Found
  IDEs:
    Android Studio: 4.1 AI-201.8743.12.41.6953283
    Xcode: 12.3/12C33 - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
  Languages:
    Java: 1.8.0_275 - /usr/bin/javac
    Python: 2.7.16 - /usr/bin/python
  npmPackages:
    @react-native-community/cli: Not Found
    react: 16.13.1 => 16.13.1 
    react-native: 0.63.4 => 0.63.4 
    react-native-macos: Not Found
  npmGlobalPackages:
    *react-native*: Not Found

Steps To Reproduce

Provide a detailed list of steps that reproduce the issue.

1. Generate a new project with npx react-native init, for example npx react-native init ReactNativeHello
2. Look at the generated .gitnore file

Expected Results

Should only exclude files as recommended by JetBrains at: https://intellij-support.jetbrains.com/hc/en-us/articles/206544839-How-to-manage-projects-under-Version-Control-Systems

For example, JetBrains says:

Here is what you need to share:

• All the files under the .idea directory in the project root except the workspace.xml, usage.statistics.xml, and tasks.xml files and the shelf directory which store user-specific settings
• All the .iml module files that can be located in different module directories (applies to IntelliJ IDEA)

The current generated .gitnore excludes the entire .idea directory and .iml files, both of which are incorrect according to the above.

Also, for anyone choosing the legacy IntelliJ project format (.ipr/.iml/.iws files), then excluding .iml is incorrect:

Share the project .ipr file and all the .iml module files, don’t share the .iws file as it stores user specific settings

[safaiyeh]

@chrisbartley This is a very opinionated issue, it depends on the community to decided the best route. I would propose to start a thread in discussions & proposals https://github.com/react-native-community/discussions-and-proposals

Closing for now until a decision is made in the proposals.

[cortinico]

but write the .gitignore accordingly. Don’t just blindly exclude .iml.

Don’t you mind sending a PR to update it?