diff --git a/cli/src/assets/.gitignore b/cli/src/assets/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0be6e7269a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/src/assets/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Cargo build
+**/target
+
+# Cargo config
+.cargo
+
+# Profile-guided optimization
+/tmp
+pgo-data.profdata
+
+# MacOS nuisances
+.DS_Store
+
+# Proofs
+**/proof-with-pis.json
+**/proof-with-io.json
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/new.rs b/cli/src/commands/new.rs
index 376b1a3654..9125417b59 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/new.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/new.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const PROGRAM_MAIN_RS: &str = include_str!("../assets/program/main.rs");
 const SCRIPT_CARGO_TOML: &str = include_str!("../assets/script/Cargo.toml");
 const SCRIPT_MAIN_RS: &str = include_str!("../assets/script/main.rs");
 const SCRIPT_RUST_TOOLCHAIN: &str = include_str!("../assets/script/rust-toolchain");
+const GIT_IGNORE: &str = include_str!("../assets/.gitignore");
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(name = "new", about = "Setup a new project that runs inside the SP1.")]
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ impl NewCmd {
         fs::write(script_root.join("src").join("main.rs"), SCRIPT_MAIN_RS)?;
         fs::write(script_root.join("rust-toolchain"), SCRIPT_RUST_TOOLCHAIN)?;
 
+        // Add .gitignore file to root.
+        fs::write(root.join(".gitignore"), GIT_IGNORE)?;
+
         println!(
             "    \x1b[1m{}\x1b[0m {} ({})",
             Paint::green("Initialized"),