diff --git a/.bash_profile b/.bash_profile
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.bashrc b/.bashrc
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.gitconfig b/.gitconfig
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ea5689a..20bf787 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -53,4 +53,17 @@ website/site/
 .zensical/
 
 #Claude
-.claude/
\ No newline at end of file
+.claude/
+# Machine-local shell/IDE/agent dotfiles that appear (empty) at the worktree
+# root on some dev setups — never repo content. Accidentally swept into #297
+# by a broad `git add -A`; keep them untracked.
+.bash_profile
+.bashrc
+.gitconfig
+.gitmodules
+.idea
+.mcp.json
+.profile
+.ripgreprc
+.zprofile
+.zshrc
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.idea b/.idea
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.mcp.json b/.mcp.json
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.profile b/.profile
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.ripgreprc b/.ripgreprc
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.zprofile b/.zprofile
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/.zshrc b/.zshrc
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000