diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c89ecb7..c002910 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
-*.pyc
+# User content belongs under recipe/.
+# Feedstock configuration goes in `conda-forge.yml`
+# Everything else is managed by the conda-smithy rerender process.
+# Please do not modify
+
+*
+!/conda-forge.yml
 
-build_artifacts
+!/*/
+!/recipe/**
+!/.ci_support/**
+
+*.pyc