Your build tools are filling your disk. Here’s exactly where.
17 rules know where Xcode, simulators, package managers, editors and project builds keep their data, which of it comes back on its own, and what it costs you to lose it. Everything moves to the Trash after you review it, with Undo.
$12.50 launch price for the first 25 buyers, then $25.
Every developer rule, as the app has it
Quoted from the rule file MacClearings ships with. “Checked for you” is only for things that are safe to lose and won’t come straight back. Everything else is listed for you to decide.
Xcode
Xcode DerivedData
Checked for you
Build products and indexes. Xcode rebuilds them the next time you build each project.
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/*
Old Xcode archives
Older than 90 days, your call
Archived app builds older than 90 days. Keep any you may need to symbolicate crash reports for shipped versions, so these start unchecked.
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/Archives/*/*.xcarchive
Device support files
Checked when untouched for 6 months
Debug symbols Xcode copies from devices you've connected. Xcode copies them again when you connect a device running that version. Ones untouched for six months are checked.
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport/* · ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/watchOS DeviceSupport/* · ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/tvOS DeviceSupport/* · ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/visionOS DeviceSupport/* · ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/macOS DeviceSupport/*
Unavailable simulators
Checked for you
Simulators for runtimes that are no longer installed. Xcode can't boot them anymore.
Simulators whose runtime is no longer installed
Simulator and preview caches
Checked for you
Caches the iOS Simulator and SwiftUI previews rebuild on demand.
~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Caches/* · ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/UserData/Previews/Simulator Devices · ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode
Package managers
npm, Yarn, pnpm and Bun caches
Checked for you
Downloaded package tarballs. Your projects keep working; the next install downloads what it needs.
~/.npm/_cacache · ~/Library/Caches/Yarn · ~/.yarn/berry/cache · ~/Library/pnpm/store · ~/.bun/install/cache · ~/Library/Caches/node-gyp · ~/Library/Caches/typescript · ~/Library/Caches/deno
pip, uv and Poetry caches
Checked for you
Downloaded Python packages and built wheels. Virtual environments aren't affected.
~/Library/Caches/pip · ~/.cache/pip · ~/.cache/uv · ~/Library/Caches/uv · ~/Library/Caches/pypoetry
Homebrew downloads
Checked for you
Installers Homebrew already used. Installed formulae and casks stay as they are.
~/Library/Caches/Homebrew
Cargo registry cache
Checked for you
Downloaded crate archives. Cargo fetches them again when a build needs them.
~/.cargo/registry/cache · ~/.cargo/git/db
Go build cache
Checked for you
Compiled Go packages. The next build recompiles what it needs.
~/Library/Caches/go-build
Gradle and Maven caches
Listed, your call
Downloaded dependencies and build caches. Re-downloading can take a while on large projects, so these start unchecked.
~/.gradle/caches · ~/.m2/repository
CocoaPods and Swift Package caches
Checked for you
Downloaded pod specs and package checkouts, fetched again on the next install or resolve.
~/Library/Caches/CocoaPods · ~/Library/Caches/org.swift.swiftpm · ~/Library/Caches/org.carthage.CarthageKit
Playwright and Cypress browsers
Listed, your call
Browser builds downloaded for end-to-end tests. They're re-downloaded on the next test install, so these start unchecked.
~/Library/Caches/ms-playwright · ~/Library/Caches/Cypress
Editors
JetBrains IDE caches
Checked for you
Indexes and caches IntelliJ-based IDEs rebuild when you open a project.
~/Library/Caches/JetBrains/*
VS Code and Cursor caches
Checked for you
Editor caches and downloaded update packages. Settings, extensions and workspaces aren't touched.
~/Library/Application Support/Code/Cache · ~/Library/Application Support/Code/CachedData · ~/Library/Application Support/Code/CachedExtensionVSIXs · ~/Library/Application Support/Code/Code Cache · ~/Library/Application Support/Code/GPUCache · ~/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.VSCode.ShipIt · ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/Cache · ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/CachedData · ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/CachedExtensionVSIXs · ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/Code Cache · ~/Library/Application Support/Cursor/GPUCache · ~/Library/Caches/com.todesktop.*.ShipIt
Docker
Docker disk image
Size reported, never moved
Docker keeps images, containers and volumes in one disk image. MacClearings only reports its size. Use Docker's own prune command to reclaim space safely.
~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data · ~/.orbstack/data · ~/.colima/_lima
Docker’s documentation for prune
Project artifacts
Project build artifacts
Checked when the project is untouched for 30 days
Dependencies and build output inside your projects (node_modules, target, .venv, ...). Your source code isn't touched; reinstall or rebuild to get them back. Projects untouched for 30 days are checked.
node_modules · .next · .nuxt · .svelte-kit · .turbo · .parcel-cache · .angular · dist · build · target · .venv · venv · __pycache__ · Pods · .gradle · .build · .dart_tool
Build folders, only where they belong
A folder called build could be anything. MacClearings only counts it as build output when the file that makes it one sits next to it.
Projects you’ve touched in the last 30 days are listed but left unchecked. Duplicates inside build folders are tagged Build output, so you can tell them from your own files.
- node_modules
- next to package.json
- .next
- next to package.json, next.config.js, next.config.mjs and others
- .nuxt
- next to package.json
- .svelte-kit
- next to package.json
- .turbo
- next to package.json, turbo.json
- .parcel-cache
- next to package.json
- .angular
- next to angular.json, package.json
- dist
- next to package.json, pyproject.toml, setup.py
- build
- next to package.json, build.gradle, build.gradle.kts and others
- target
- next to Cargo.toml, pom.xml
- .venv
- next to pyproject.toml, requirements.txt, setup.py and others
- venv
- next to pyproject.toml, requirements.txt, setup.py and others
- __pycache__
- next to *.py
- Pods
- next to Podfile
- .gradle
- next to build.gradle, build.gradle.kts, settings.gradle and others
- .build
- next to Package.swift
- .dart_tool
- next to pubspec.yaml
What is that folder?
Click a folder in the Map and the field guide says what it is, which tool made it and whether it comes back. It covers Xcode, simulators, Homebrew, package managers, editors and much more.
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport
Device support files
- Made by
- Xcode
- What it is
- Debug symbols Xcode copied from devices you connected, one folder per OS version.
- Does it come back?
- Comes back when it's needed
- Without it
- Xcode copies them again the next time you connect a device running that version.
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/Archives
Xcode archives
- Made by
- Xcode
- What it is
- Builds you archived to ship or share, with the debug symbols needed to read their crash reports.
- Does it come back?
- Doesn't come back
- Without it
- These builds couldn't be recreated exactly, and crash reports from those versions would be harder to read.
- How to manage it
- Xcode → Window → Organizer
Guides for developers
- How to delete iOS simulators and free CoreSimulator spaceHow to delete unused iOS simulators, CoreSimulator devices, caches and runtimes with simctl and Xcode, and which simulator folders not to touch by hand.
- Docker taking up space on your Mac: how to get it backWhy Docker.raw grows on a Mac, how to see what uses it with docker system df, and how to reclaim space with docker system prune without losing your volumes.
- Homebrew cleanup: free space with brew cleanup and autoremoveWhat brew cleanup actually removes, how to clear the Homebrew cache with --prune=all, remove old versions, and uninstall unused packages with brew autoremove.
- How to clear cache on your Mac, and when it's worth itClear browser and app caches on a Mac safely with Safari, Chrome and Finder, and why caches come straight back, so clearing them rarely frees lasting space.
- How to delete node_modules safely, in one project or all of themIs it safe to delete node_modules? How to delete it in one project or recursively across all of them, find the biggest first, use npkill, and reinstall later.
- How to delete Xcode DerivedData safelyWhere Xcode's DerivedData folder is, why it's safe to delete, and three ways to clear it: Clean Build Folder, Finder, and Terminal with or without the Trash.
Questions developers ask
Will my projects still build after a cleanup?
Yes. Every developer rule covers data the tools rebuild or download again: DerivedData, package caches, simulator caches, editor caches and build output. The cost is time, the next build or install takes longer. Source code, settings, extensions and installed tools aren't touched.
What about node_modules in a project I'm working on?
MacClearings finds node_modules, target, .venv, Pods, .next, .build and other build folders only next to the file that proves what they are, such as a package.json or Cargo.toml. Build output in projects you've touched in the last 30 days is listed but left unchecked; older projects are checked for you. You can change any of it in the list before anything moves.
Can MacClearings clean up Docker?
It shows how big Docker's disk image is, and that's all. Images, containers and volumes live inside one file, so moving it would remove all of them at once. Docker's own prune command reclaims space safely, and MacClearings links to its documentation.
Why aren't Gradle and Maven caches checked for me?
Downloading them again can take a long time on large projects, so MacClearings lists them and leaves the choice to you. The same goes for Playwright and Cypress browsers and Xcode archives, which you may need for symbolicating crash reports from shipped builds.
Does it run commands like xcrun simctl or npm cache clean?
No. MacClearings moves the folders you review to the Trash, so everything can be put back with Undo. Breakdown does read simulator runtimes with xcrun simctl runtime list to explain how much space they use, and only reads.
Get your disk back from your build tools.
Every developer rule, the field guide and Undo, for macOS 15 or later. Paid once.
$12.50 launch price for the first 25 buyers, then $25.
macOS 15+ · Apple silicon and Intel