diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f99faebe8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# normal text files should contain a simple LF lineend, the following settings 
+# ensures this even if the user has not set core.autocrlf.
+*  text=auto
+
+# binary files should be detected by git, however, to be sure, you can add them here explictly
+*.png  binary
+*.jpg  binary
+*.gif  binary
+*.ico  binary
+
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 58f557c38..a19cda836 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,8 @@
 **/*.rs.bk
 Cargo.lock
 *.db
+
+# ignore vi temporaries
+*~
+*.swp
+*.swo