diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d67d7d8..96c1d0d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,3 +4,16 @@
 
 A CLI to create apps and labs for the Graasp ecosystem.
 
+## Development
+
+To test locally, clone the repository.
+
+Compile the library by running `yarn compile`
+
+Move to a directory where you would like to clone a test project, e.g. `cd ~/my-apps`
+
+Run the CLI by using the full path from that directory to the `lib` folder inside this repository.
+
+```
+node ~/code/graasp/tools/graasp-cli/lib new
+```
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c15adef..173d617 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@babel/polyfill": "7.2.5",
     "bson-objectid": "1.2.4",
+    "del": "4.1.1",
     "execa": "1.0.0",
     "fs-exists-cached": "1.0.0",
     "fs-extra": "7.0.1",
diff --git a/src/config.js b/src/config.js
index b88a8c5..1cf4617 100644
--- a/src/config.js
+++ b/src/config.js
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ export const PROD = 'prod';
 // keys
 export const AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID_LENGTH = 20;
 export const AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY_LENGTH = 40;
+
+// file names
+export const GRAASP_IGNORE_FILE = '.graaspignore';
diff --git a/src/initStarter.js b/src/initStarter.js
index e172ac1..a28304c 100644
--- a/src/initStarter.js
+++ b/src/initStarter.js
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ import path from 'path';
 import { execSync } from 'child_process';
 import execa from 'execa';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import util from 'util';
 import HostedGitInfo from 'hosted-git-info';
+import del from 'del';
 import { sync as existsSync } from 'fs-exists-cached';
-import { DEFAULT_PATH, DEFAULT_STARTER } from './config';
+import { DEFAULT_PATH, DEFAULT_STARTER, GRAASP_IGNORE_FILE } from './config';
 import writeEnvFiles from './writeEnvFiles';
 
+const readFile = util.promisify(fs.readFile);
+
 // use execa to spawn a better child process
 const spawn = (cmd, opts = { stdio: 'inherit' }) => {
   const [file, ...args] = cmd.split(/\s+/);
@@ -43,6 +47,29 @@ const install = async (rootPath) => {
   }
 };
 
+// remove files in .graaspignore file
+const removeIgnoredFiles = async (rootPath) => {
+  const prevDir = process.cwd();
+
+  console.log('removing ignored files');
+  process.chdir(rootPath);
+
+  try {
+    const text = await readFile(GRAASP_IGNORE_FILE, { encoding: 'utf8' });
+    const lines = text.split('\n');
+
+    // pattern cannot be empty
+    const files = lines.filter(line => line !== '');
+
+    // delete matching files, including hidden ones
+    del.sync(files, { dot: true });
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(e);
+  } finally {
+    process.chdir(prevDir);
+  }
+};
+
 // creates an new git repository
 const initGit = async (rootPath) => {
   const prevDir = process.cwd();
@@ -141,6 +168,11 @@ const initStarter = async (options = {}) => {
   const hostedInfo = HostedGitInfo.fromUrl(starter);
   await clone(hostedInfo, projectDirectory);
 
+  // only remove ignored files if graaspignore file detected
+  if (existsSync(path.join(projectDirectory, GRAASP_IGNORE_FILE))) {
+    await removeIgnoredFiles(projectDirectory);
+  }
+
   await initGit(projectDirectory);
 
   console.log('initialized git repository');
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 1e056d7..77af45c 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -757,6 +757,30 @@
     mkdirp "^0.5.1"
     rimraf "^2.5.2"
 
+"@types/events@*":
+  version "3.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/events/-/events-3.0.0.tgz#2862f3f58a9a7f7c3e78d79f130dd4d71c25c2a7"
+  integrity sha512-EaObqwIvayI5a8dCzhFrjKzVwKLxjoG9T6Ppd5CEo07LRKfQ8Yokw54r5+Wq7FaBQ+yXRvQAYPrHwya1/UFt9g==
+
+"@types/glob@^7.1.1":
+  version "7.1.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/glob/-/glob-7.1.1.tgz#aa59a1c6e3fbc421e07ccd31a944c30eba521575"
+  integrity sha512-1Bh06cbWJUHMC97acuD6UMG29nMt0Aqz1vF3guLfG+kHHJhy3AyohZFFxYk2f7Q1SQIrNwvncxAE0N/9s70F2w==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/events" "*"
+    "@types/minimatch" "*"
+    "@types/node" "*"
+
+"@types/minimatch@*":
+  version "3.0.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/minimatch/-/minimatch-3.0.3.tgz#3dca0e3f33b200fc7d1139c0cd96c1268cadfd9d"
+  integrity sha512-tHq6qdbT9U1IRSGf14CL0pUlULksvY9OZ+5eEgl1N7t+OA3tGvNpxJCzuKQlsNgCVwbAs670L1vcVQi8j9HjnA==
+
+"@types/node@*":
+  version "12.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-12.0.2.tgz#3452a24edf9fea138b48fad4a0a028a683da1e40"
+  integrity sha512-5tabW/i+9mhrfEOUcLDu2xBPsHJ+X5Orqy9FKpale3SjDA17j5AEpYq5vfy3oAeAHGcvANRCO3NV3d2D6q3NiA==
+
 JSONStream@^1.0.4:
   version "1.3.5"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/JSONStream/-/JSONStream-1.3.5.tgz#3208c1f08d3a4d99261ab64f92302bc15e111ca0"
@@ -895,6 +919,18 @@ array-reduce@~0.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/array-reduce/-/array-reduce-0.0.0.tgz#173899d3ffd1c7d9383e4479525dbe278cab5f2b"
   integrity sha1-FziZ0//Rx9k4PkR5Ul2+J4yrXys=
 
+array-union@^1.0.1:
+  version "1.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/array-union/-/array-union-1.0.2.tgz#9a34410e4f4e3da23dea375be5be70f24778ec39"
+  integrity sha1-mjRBDk9OPaI96jdb5b5w8kd47Dk=
+  dependencies:
+    array-uniq "^1.0.1"
+
+array-uniq@^1.0.1:
+  version "1.0.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/array-uniq/-/array-uniq-1.0.3.tgz#af6ac877a25cc7f74e058894753858dfdb24fdb6"
+  integrity sha1-r2rId6Jcx/dOBYiUdThY39sk/bY=
+
 array-unique@^0.3.2:
   version "0.3.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/array-unique/-/array-unique-0.3.2.tgz#a894b75d4bc4f6cd679ef3244a9fd8f46ae2d428"
@@ -1625,6 +1661,19 @@ define-property@^2.0.2:
     is-descriptor "^1.0.2"
     isobject "^3.0.1"
 
+del@4.1.1:
+  version "4.1.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/del/-/del-4.1.1.tgz#9e8f117222ea44a31ff3a156c049b99052a9f0b4"
+  integrity sha512-QwGuEUouP2kVwQenAsOof5Fv8K9t3D8Ca8NxcXKrIpEHjTXK5J2nXLdP+ALI1cgv8wj7KuwBhTwBkOZSJKM5XQ==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/glob" "^7.1.1"
+    globby "^6.1.0"
+    is-path-cwd "^2.0.0"
+    is-path-in-cwd "^2.0.0"
+    p-map "^2.0.0"
+    pify "^4.0.1"
+    rimraf "^2.6.3"
+
 delegates@^1.0.0:
   version "1.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/delegates/-/delegates-1.0.0.tgz#84c6e159b81904fdca59a0ef44cd870d31250f9a"
@@ -2204,6 +2253,18 @@ glob@^7.0.0, glob@^7.1.2, glob@^7.1.3:
     once "^1.3.0"
     path-is-absolute "^1.0.0"
 
+glob@^7.0.3:
+  version "7.1.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/glob/-/glob-7.1.4.tgz#aa608a2f6c577ad357e1ae5a5c26d9a8d1969255"
+  integrity sha512-hkLPepehmnKk41pUGm3sYxoFs/umurYfYJCerbXEyFIWcAzvpipAgVkBqqT9RBKMGjnq6kMuyYwha6csxbiM1A==
+  dependencies:
+    fs.realpath "^1.0.0"
+    inflight "^1.0.4"
+    inherits "2"
+    minimatch "^3.0.4"
+    once "^1.3.0"
+    path-is-absolute "^1.0.0"
+
 global-dirs@^0.1.0:
   version "0.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/global-dirs/-/global-dirs-0.1.1.tgz#b319c0dd4607f353f3be9cca4c72fc148c49f445"
@@ -2216,6 +2277,17 @@ globals@^11.1.0, globals@^11.7.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/globals/-/globals-11.10.0.tgz#1e09776dffda5e01816b3bb4077c8b59c24eaa50"
   integrity sha512-0GZF1RiPKU97IHUO5TORo9w1PwrH/NBPl+fS7oMLdaTRiYmYbwK4NWoZWrAdd0/abG9R2BU+OiwyQpTpE6pdfQ==
 
+globby@^6.1.0:
+  version "6.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/globby/-/globby-6.1.0.tgz#f5a6d70e8395e21c858fb0489d64df02424d506c"
+  integrity sha1-9abXDoOV4hyFj7BInWTfAkJNUGw=
+  dependencies:
+    array-union "^1.0.1"
+    glob "^7.0.3"
+    object-assign "^4.0.1"
+    pify "^2.0.0"
+    pinkie-promise "^2.0.0"
+
 graceful-fs@^4.1.11, graceful-fs@^4.1.2, graceful-fs@^4.1.3, graceful-fs@^4.1.6:
   version "4.1.15"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-4.1.15.tgz#ffb703e1066e8a0eeaa4c8b80ba9253eeefbfb00"
@@ -2592,6 +2664,25 @@ is-obj@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-obj/-/is-obj-1.0.1.tgz#3e4729ac1f5fde025cd7d83a896dab9f4f67db0f"
   integrity sha1-PkcprB9f3gJc19g6iW2rn09n2w8=
 
+is-path-cwd@^2.0.0:
+  version "2.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-path-cwd/-/is-path-cwd-2.1.0.tgz#2e0c7e463ff5b7a0eb60852d851a6809347a124c"
+  integrity sha512-Sc5j3/YnM8tDeyCsVeKlm/0p95075DyLmDEIkSgQ7mXkrOX+uTCtmQFm0CYzVyJwcCCmO3k8qfJt17SxQwB5Zw==
+
+is-path-in-cwd@^2.0.0:
+  version "2.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-path-in-cwd/-/is-path-in-cwd-2.1.0.tgz#bfe2dca26c69f397265a4009963602935a053acb"
+  integrity sha512-rNocXHgipO+rvnP6dk3zI20RpOtrAM/kzbB258Uw5BWr3TpXi861yzjo16Dn4hUox07iw5AyeMLHWsujkjzvRQ==
+  dependencies:
+    is-path-inside "^2.1.0"
+
+is-path-inside@^2.1.0:
+  version "2.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-path-inside/-/is-path-inside-2.1.0.tgz#7c9810587d659a40d27bcdb4d5616eab059494b2"
+  integrity sha512-wiyhTzfDWsvwAW53OBWF5zuvaOGlZ6PwYxAbPVDhpm+gM09xKQGjBq/8uYN12aDvMxnAnq3dxTyoSoRNmg5YFg==
+  dependencies:
+    path-is-inside "^1.0.2"
+
 is-plain-obj@^1.1.0:
   version "1.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/is-plain-obj/-/is-plain-obj-1.1.0.tgz#71a50c8429dfca773c92a390a4a03b39fcd51d3e"
@@ -3409,6 +3500,11 @@ p-locate@^3.0.0:
   dependencies:
     p-limit "^2.0.0"
 
+p-map@^2.0.0:
+  version "2.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/p-map/-/p-map-2.1.0.tgz#310928feef9c9ecc65b68b17693018a665cea175"
+  integrity sha512-y3b8Kpd8OAN444hxfBbFfj1FY/RjtTd8tzYwhUqNYXx0fXx2iX4maP4Qr6qhIKbQXI02wTLAda4fYUbDagTUFw==
+
 p-try@^1.0.0:
   version "1.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/p-try/-/p-try-1.0.0.tgz#cbc79cdbaf8fd4228e13f621f2b1a237c1b207b3"
@@ -3526,6 +3622,11 @@ pify@^3.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pify/-/pify-3.0.0.tgz#e5a4acd2c101fdf3d9a4d07f0dbc4db49dd28176"
   integrity sha1-5aSs0sEB/fPZpNB/DbxNtJ3SgXY=
 
+pify@^4.0.1:
+  version "4.0.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pify/-/pify-4.0.1.tgz#4b2cd25c50d598735c50292224fd8c6df41e3231"
+  integrity sha512-uB80kBFb/tfd68bVleG9T5GGsGPjJrLAUpR5PZIrhBnIaRTQRjqdJSsIKkOP6OAIFbj7GOrcudc5pNjZ+geV2g==
+
 pinkie-promise@^2.0.0:
   version "2.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pinkie-promise/-/pinkie-promise-2.0.1.tgz#2135d6dfa7a358c069ac9b178776288228450ffa"
@@ -3897,7 +3998,7 @@ ret@~0.1.10:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/ret/-/ret-0.1.15.tgz#b8a4825d5bdb1fc3f6f53c2bc33f81388681c7bc"
   integrity sha512-TTlYpa+OL+vMMNG24xSlQGEJ3B/RzEfUlLct7b5G/ytav+wPrplCpVMFuwzXbkecJrb6IYo1iFb0S9v37754mg==
 
-rimraf@^2.5.2, rimraf@^2.6.1, rimraf@~2.6.2:
+rimraf@^2.5.2, rimraf@^2.6.1, rimraf@^2.6.3, rimraf@~2.6.2:
   version "2.6.3"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/rimraf/-/rimraf-2.6.3.tgz#b2d104fe0d8fb27cf9e0a1cda8262dd3833c6cab"
   integrity sha512-mwqeW5XsA2qAejG46gYdENaxXjx9onRNCfn7L0duuP4hCuTIi/QO7PDK07KJfp1d+izWPrzEJDcSqBa0OZQriA==