diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dd99c69f8..694bbedec 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 *.log
 *.o
 **/.DS_Store
+TAGS
 
 # CMake build artifacts if built in source - forbidden since FLTK 1.5.0.
 # However, the following artifacts would be created by an attempt to
@@ -18,15 +19,14 @@
 **/CMakeCache.txt
 **/CMakeFiles/
 
-# VS Code (Visual Studio Code) Editor is a user generated folder
-# that must not be committed
+# VS Code (Visual Studio Code) Editor is a frequently used editor whose
+# configuration is stored in '.vscode' folders
 
 .vscode/
 
-# default build folder `build` and more ...
+# default build folder `build` and some more special files ...
 
 /build
-/TAGS
 
 # /FL - this should not happen, but anyway ...
 
diff --git a/documentation/.gitignore b/documentation/.gitignore
index 0a9913da7..645b58a78 100644
--- a/documentation/.gitignore
+++ b/documentation/.gitignore
@@ -4,8 +4,3 @@
 # Note: since FLTK 1.5 building FLTK in-source is no longer allowed.
 #   Therefore we don't need to "ignore" generated files anymore
 #   because generated files are stored in the build tree.
-
-# /documentation/
-*.bck
-*.bak
-*.log
diff --git a/examples/.gitignore b/examples/.gitignore
index 2aaf8b559..763dce20b 100644
--- a/examples/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/.gitignore
@@ -1,52 +1,13 @@
 #
 # Files to be ignored by Git (do not commit)
 #
-# Note: *.exe will be ignored by means of ../.gitignore
+# Source files and headers generated by fluid:
 #
-animgifimage
-animgifimage-play
-animgifimage-resize
-animgifimage-simple
-browser-simple
-callbacks
-cairo-draw-x
-chart-simple
-draggable-group
-grid-simple
-howto-add_fd-and-popen
-howto-browser-with-icons
-howto-drag-and-drop
-howto-draw-an-x
-howto-flex-simple
-howto-menu-with-images
-howto-parse-args
-howto-remap-numpad-keyboard-keys
-howto-simple-svg
-howto-text-over-image-button
-menubar-add
-nativefilechooser-simple
-nativefilechooser-simple-app
-OpenGL3-glut-test
-OpenGL3test
-progress-simple
-shapedwindow
-simple-terminal
-SVG_File_Surface
-table-as-container
-table-simple
-table-sort
-table-spreadsheet
-table-spreadsheet-with-keyboard-nav
-table-with-keynav
-table-with-right-column-stretch-fit
-table-with-right-click-menu
-tabs-simple
-textdisplay-with-colors
-texteditor-simple
-texteditor-with-dynamic-colors
-tree-as-container
-tree-custom-draw-items
-tree-custom-sort
-tree-of-tables
-tree-simple
-wizard-simple
+# Note: these files *should* never exist (since FLTK 1.5.0) unless a user
+#   (developer) creates them manually by running fluid in the source tree.
+#
+# The following list can be generated using bash or another POSIX shell:
+#   $ LC_ALL=C; for f in *.fl; do b=`basename $f .fl`; echo $b.cxx; echo $b.h; done
+
+fluid-callback.cxx
+fluid-callback.h
diff --git a/fltk-options/.gitignore b/fltk-options/.gitignore
index bf43c199e..645b58a78 100644
--- a/fltk-options/.gitignore
+++ b/fltk-options/.gitignore
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #
 # Files to be ignored by Git (do not commit)
 #
-
-fltk-options
-fltk-options-shared
-fltk-options.app
+# Note: since FLTK 1.5 building FLTK in-source is no longer allowed.
+#   Therefore we don't need to "ignore" generated files anymore
+#   because generated files are stored in the build tree.
diff --git a/fluid/.gitignore b/fluid/.gitignore
index 023bc907c..7224d6c0c 100644
--- a/fluid/.gitignore
+++ b/fluid/.gitignore
@@ -2,13 +2,7 @@
 # Files to be ignored by Git (do not commit)
 #
 
-fluid
-fluid-shared
-TAGS
-fluid.app
-../pixmaps/*.bck
-
-# local documentation generation
+# local documentation generation (?)
 
 documentation/html/
 documentation/html-dev/
diff --git a/test/.gitignore b/test/.gitignore
index ea265dd43..8893e838a 100644
--- a/test/.gitignore
+++ b/test/.gitignore
@@ -1,128 +1,13 @@
 #
 # Files to be ignored by Git (do not commit)
 #
-# Note: *.exe will be ignored by means of ../.gitignore
+# Source files and headers generated by fluid:
 #
-
-# Windows/MSVC files and maybe others
-
-*.bck
-fltk*.dll
-fltk*.exp
-fltk*.lib
-*.ilk
-
-# Linux/Unix/macOS executables
-
-adjuster
-animated
-arc
-ask
-bitmap
-blocks
-boxtype
-browser
-button
-buttons
-cairo_test
-checkers
-clipboard
-clock
-colbrowser
-color_chooser
-contrast
-coordinates
-cube
-CubeView
-cursor
-curve
-demo
-device
-doublebuffer
-editor
-fast_slow
-file_chooser
-flex_demo
-flex_login
-fltk-versions
-fonts
-forms
-fractals
-fullscreen
-gl_overlay
-glpuzzle
-glut_test
-grid_alignment
-grid_buttons
-grid_dialog
-grid_login
-handle_events
-hello
-help_dialog
-icon
-iconize
-image
-inactive
-input
-input_choice
-keyboard
-label
-line_style
-line_style_docs
-list_visuals
-mandelbrot
-menubar
-message
-minimum
-native-filechooser
-navigation
-offscreen
-output
-overlay
-pack
-pixmap
-pixmap_browser
-preferences
-radio
-resize
-resizebox
-resize-example1
-resize-example2
-resize-example3a
-resize-example3b
-resize-example3c
-resize-example3d
-resize-example4a
-resize-example4b
-resize-example5a
-resize-example5b
-resize-example5c
-rotated_text
-scroll
-shape
-subwindow
-sudoku
-symbols
-table
-tabs
-terminal
-threads
-tile
-tiled_image
-tree
-twowin
-unittests
-utf8
-valuators
-windowfocus
-wizard
-
-# macOS binary files
-
-*.app
-
-# fluid generated source files and headers, generated using bash:
-# > for f in *.fl;do b=`basename $f .fl`;echo $b.cxx;echo $b.h;done
+# Note: these files *should* not exist (since FLTK 1.5.0) unless a user
+#   (developer) creates them manually by running fluid in the source tree.
+#
+# The following list can be generated using bash or another POSIX shell:
+#   $ LC_ALL=C; for f in *.fl; do b=`basename $f .fl`; echo $b.cxx; echo $b.h; done
 
 CubeViewUI.cxx
 CubeViewUI.h