diff --git a/.cache/treemacs-persist b/.cache/treemacs-persist
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20726e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cache/treemacs-persist
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+* Default
+** cnelson
+ - path :: ~
diff --git a/.dir-locals.el b/.dir-locals.el
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..652857f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dir-locals.el
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+((nil . ((project-vc-merge-submodules . nil))))
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 85788bf..eaa2626 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,4 +9,11 @@ projects
 recentf
 transient
 tree-sitter
-**/*.el
\ No newline at end of file
+<<<<<<< HEAD
+**/*.el
+=======
+**/*.el
+!.dir-locals.el
+eshell
+request
+>>>>>>> be5987a (added dir locals to allow emacs submodule as a project)