What does `exclude` in dagger.json do?

[silent moon]

In many modules I can see an exclude key being specified in dagger.json files.
For instance:

• https://github.com/dagger/dagger/blob/b34e88629c92a7b24da4570055a9425dcfb5bde7/core/integration/testdata/modules/python/git-dep/dagger.json#L4
• https://github.com/dagger/dagger/blob/b34e88629c92a7b24da4570055a9425dcfb5bde7/sdk/python/dev/dagger.json#L17

I have not been able to find exactly what this does. Any pointers?

Thanks!

[late ermine]

It tells the engine which files to exclude when loading the module itself

Particularly useful during local module development, to avoid uploading large cache or generated files that the engine doesn't need

Notably, it only applies to loading the module. It does not apply to any directories passed as arguments to your module's functions

(there is a separate feature in development for that, see https://github.com/dagger/dagger/issues/7647)

[silent moon]

Understood, thank you very much!