default .bithoundrc file for ignoring project files (modify as needed and commit to the root of your project)

.bithoundrc

{
  "ignore": [
    "**/deps/**",
    "**/node_modules/**",
    "**/thirdparty/**",
    "**/third_party/**",
    "**/vendor/**",
    "**/**-min-**",
    "**/**-min.**",
    "**/**.min.**",
    "**/**jquery.?(ui|effects)-*.*.?(*).?(cs|j)s",
    "**/**jquery-*.*.?(*).?(cs|j)s",
    "**/prototype?(*).js",
    "**/**?(*).ts",
    "**/mootools*.*.*.js",
    "**/dojo.js",
    "**/MochiKit.js",
    "**/yahoo-*.js",
    "**/yui*.js",
    "**/ckeditor*.js",
    "**/tiny_mce*.js",
    "**/tiny_mce/?(langs|plugins|themes|utils)/**",
    "**/MathJax/**",
    "**/shBrush*.js",
    "**/shCore.js",
    "**/shLegacy.js",
    "**/modernizr.custom.?(*).js",
    "**/knockout-*.*.*.debug.js",
    "**/extjs/*.js",
    "**/extjs/*.xml",
    "**/extjs/*.txt",
    "**/extjs/*.html",
    "**/extjs/*.properties",
    "**/extjs/.sencha",
    "**/extjs/docs/**",
    "**/extjs/builds/**",
    "**/extjs/cmd/**",
    "**/extjs/examples/**",
    "**/extjs/locale/**",
    "**/extjs/packages/**",
    "**/extjs/plugins/**",
    "**/extjs/resources/**",
    "**/extjs/src/**",
    "**/extjs/welcome/**",
    "bower_components/**"
  ],
  "test": [
    "**/test/**",
    "**/tests/**",
    "**/spec/**",
    "**/specs/**"
  ],
  "dependencies": {
    "unused-ignores": []
  }
}

@DamonOehlman I find value in ignoring them, simply because those files can get very long and full of redundant code. Unfortunately I don't think there's a reasonably way to split it up unless you use requirejs and split your build process across multiple files. At that point, I don't think you gain anything by using grunt or gulp.

Is it too late to allow this to be YAML OR JSON format?

Is it necessary to ignore *.{html,txt,xml,properties} files?