diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89c83e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# for Racket
+compiled/
+*~
+
+# for Mac OS X
+.DS_Store
+.AppleDouble
+.LSOverride
+Icon
+
+# Thumbnails
+._*
+
+# Files that might appear on external disk
+.Spotlight-V100
+.Trashes