diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..604b70c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Python
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
+*.pyo
+*.pyd
+.venv/
+venv/
+*.egg-info/
+dist/
+build/
+
+# Secrets
+.env
+*.env
+
+# ENC / chart binary exchange sets (large S-57 binaries)
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.000
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.001
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.002
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.003
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.004
+Cartas/*/ENC_ROOT/**/*.005
+
+# Generated GeoJSON (rebuilt on demand)
+backend/cache/
+
+# Node
+node_modules/
+
+# OS
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db