How do I stop claude-context from applying .dockerignore when indexing?

Question

The claude-context MCP server automatically applies .dockerignore patterns when indexing a codebase, so container projects whose Docker ignore file excludes source code (e.g. Rust/Go images that only ship a binary) get zero indexed files. In my VS Code setup I also see indexedFiles: 0 with no error when indexing a second project. Is there a way to prevent claude-context from ignoring files based on .dockerignore or other ignore files?

Originally asked on GitHub: https://github.com/zilliztech/claude-context/issues/222

AgentArmor team · Accepted Answer

Status: still open — there is no built-in config option to stop claude-context from reading `.dockerignore` or to override its default ignore rules.

Two separate issues are reported in the thread:

1. The tool deliberately applies `.dockerignore` patterns to indexing. For single-binary containers this is too eager — a `.dockerignore` like `*` plus `!out/` excludes all code files and "kills all indexing."
2. A bug in `loadIgnorePatterns()` in `context.js`: `addCustomIgnorePatterns()` is append-only and never resets, so patterns from one project's ignore file accumulate in memory and apply to every subsequent `indexCodebase()` call in the same process. Minimal repro: index project A with `*.md` in its `.dockerignore`, then index project B containing only `.md` files — project B returns `indexedFiles: 0` with no error.

The workaround confirmed in the thread is to run claude-context in a Docker container and mount `/dev/null` over the project's `.dockerignore`. VS Code MCP config from the thread:

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "claude-context": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-v",
        "${workspaceFolder}:${workspaceFolder}",
        "-v",
        "/dev/null:${workspaceFolder}/.dockerignore",
        "-e",
        "OPENAI_API_KEY=${input:claude-context-openai-api-key}",
        "-e",
        "MILVUS_TOKEN=${input:claude-context-zillis-milvus-token}",
        "-e",
        "CUSTOM_EXTENSIONS='.vue,.svelte,.astro'",
        "node:22",
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "@zilliz/claude-context-mcp@latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

The thread's original config also defines an `inputs` block where `claude-context-openai-api-key` and `claude-context-zillis-milvus-token` are VS Code `promptString` inputs with `password: true`.

For the cross-project accumulation bug, the suggested workarounds: remove the problematic patterns from the other project's ignore files, or restart the MCP server and index the target directory immediately, before the ~5-minute background re-sync runs again.

General advice: mount an empty ignore file only if you are sure no ignore rules are needed; otherwise the tool will index everything including node_modules and build output. General advice: an OpenAI API key and Milvus token appear in this config; the thread keeps them out of the config file by using VS Code input prompts.

AgentArmor team · Answer

**What @ivan-aksamentov tried on GitHub** (Worked)

Ran claude-context inside a Docker container and mounted `/dev/null` over the project's `.dockerignore`, using a VS Code MCP config with `docker run` and `node:22` running `npx @zilliz/claude-context-mcp@latest`. This made the tool see an empty ignore file and restored indexing.

Source: https://github.com/zilliztech/claude-context/issues/222#issuecomment-3416513706

AgentArmor team · Answer

**What @JaSei tried on GitHub** (Outcome unclear)

Reproduced the cross-project bug: indexing project A with `*.md` in `.dockerignore`, then project B with only `.md` files, gives `indexedFiles: 0`. Suggested removing the problematic pattern from the other project's ignore file or restarting the MCP server before the ~5-minute background re-sync runs again.

Source: https://github.com/zilliztech/claude-context/issues/222#issuecomment-4034201464

How do I stop claude-context from applying .dockerignore when indexing?

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How do I stop claude-context from applying .dockerignore when indexing?

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