Missing .gitignore File Leading to Security and Performance Risks

Description:
The repository currently does not include a .gitignore file, which can result in:

Sensitive files like .env being exposed publicly

Large directories such as node_modules/ being committed, bloating the repo

Proposed Solution:
Add a .gitignore file at the project root

Exclude environment/config files like .env, .env.*, .DS_Store, etc.

Exclude large or unnecessary directories like node_modules/, dist/, and build artifacts

Match ignore rules to the project’s tech stack (e.g., [Node.js](https://github.com/github/gitignore/blob/main/Node.gitignore), Python, React)

Remove any files already committed that should be ignored