git ignore directory contents but keep directory code example

Example 1: how to ignore folder in gitignore duplicate

# Step 1) First stop git from tracking the <folder> 
### Example git rm -r --cached dist ###
git rm -r --cached <folder> 

# Step 2) Then update .gitignore file
dist/
node_modules/
*.log
.env
*.zip

Example 2: git ignore content of a folder

# exclude everything
somefolder/*

# exception to the rule
!somefolder/.gitkeep