ClearDisk: A Menu Bar App for Reclaiming Developer Cache Space on macOS
Free macOS menu bar app to visualize and clean developer caches (Xcode, nodemodules, CocoaPods, SPM, Docker, pip, Cargo). Reclaim disk space instantly.
At a glance
- What is it?
- ClearDisk is a free, open-source macOS menu bar app that scans 74 developer cache paths and 23 project artifact types, moving files to Trash for safe cleanup. It targets developers whose SSDs are filled by Xcode DerivedData, npm, Docker, and similar rebuildable caches.
- Who is it for?
- ClearDisk is for macOS developers who regularly hit disk-full warnings from rebuildable caches and want a GUI that distinguishes safe deletions from risky ones. It is not for users who prefer CLI tools, need support for macOS versions below 14, or expect a tool that deletes directly without Trash.
- Can I use it commercially?
- Yes. MIT is a permissive licence: you can use, modify and sell software built on it, as long as you keep its copyright and licence notices.
- Is it still maintained?
- Yes. The repository last received commits 5 days ago.
- What is it written in?
- Mainly Swift, according to GitHub's language statistics.
Answers come from the project's GitHub data, last synced on September 14, 2026, and from our analysis. They are not legal advice.
DEEP OPEN-SOURCE ANALYSIS
The Problem ClearDisk Solves
Developer machines accumulate caches that are safe to delete but hard to identify. Xcode DerivedData alone can consume 200 GB, according to the README. npm, Homebrew, Docker, pip, and Cargo add hundreds of gigabytes. Existing tools either show size without safety (DaisyDisk), only handle Xcode (DevCleaner), or are CLI-only (npkill, kondo). ClearDisk targets this gap: a menu bar app that knows which files are rebuildable and presents them with risk levels. It is aimed at macOS developers who want a visual, one-click way to reclaim space without manually hunting through ~/Library/Developer and project folders.
How ClearDisk Works: Scans, Risk Levels, and Trash
ClearDisk scans 74 predefined developer cache paths, covering Xcode, Swift PM, CocoaPods, Homebrew, npm, Docker, Gradle, and more. It also has a Project Artifact Scanner that detects 23 project types, including Node.js (.next, .nuxt, .vite), Python (.venv, __pycache__), Rust, CocoaPods, and Unity. Each artifact is shown with a human-readable description, like 'Downloaded Swift packages. Re-downloads on next build.' Risk levels classify items as Safe (rebuilds with a command), Caution (large re-download), or Risky (may contain irreplaceable data). When you clean, files move to Trash first, so they remain recoverable until Trash is emptied. The app also tracks the difference between bytes moved to Trash and space actually reclaimed after Trash is emptied.
Installation and First Run
The easiest install is via Homebrew. You add a third-party tap, trust it, and install the cask. The README gives these commands: 'brew tap bysiber/cleardisk', 'brew trust bysiber/cleardisk', 'brew install --cask cleardisk'. The trust step is required because recent Homebrew refuses to load casks from untrusted taps. Alternatively, you can download a DMG from the Releases page, drag the app to Applications, and open it. Release builds are Developer ID signed and notarized. To build from source, clone the repo, run 'bash scripts/build_app.sh', copy ClearDisk.app to /Applications, and run 'xattr -cr /Applications/ClearDisk.app'. Source builds are ad-hoc signed, not notarized. The app requires macOS 14 or later and supports Apple Silicon and Intel, based on the README's note.
Safety Features and Their Limits
The Trash-first approach is a genuine safety net, but it has a boundary: space is only reclaimed when you empty Trash. The app distinguishes between 'bytes moved to Trash' and 'space actually reclaimed', which is honest but means a user might think cleanup is done when it is not. The Xcode Running Check warns if Xcode is active before cleaning Xcode caches, which prevents a common failure. However, the README does not say how the app handles permission errors on protected paths like ~/Library/Developer. macOS may prompt for Full Disk Access, and the README does not document that setup. That is a real limitation: without Full Disk Access, the scan may miss caches or fail silently. Also, the risk levels are heuristic, not absolute. The 'Risky' category exists because some caches may contain irreplaceable data, but the app does not explain how it determines that beyond the category name.
Alternatives and How They Differ
The README compares ClearDisk to several tools. DevCleaner for Xcode cleans only Xcode paths, so it ignores npm, pip, brew, and Docker. npkill is a CLI that focuses on node_modules and uses 'rm -rf' for deletion, which is faster but irreversible. kondo is also CLI and cleans project artifacts but lacks a GUI and risk levels. mac-cleanup is a CLI script with 42 modules. DaisyDisk shows disk usage but does not know what is safe to delete. The key difference is that ClearDisk combines a native menu bar GUI, a broad cache list, risk classification, and Trash-based deletion. CLI tools like npkill are scriptable and lighter, but they require terminal familiarity and offer no safety classification.
Maintenance and Upgrade Cost
ClearDisk is under active development, with recent releases v2.0.1, v2.0.2, and v2.0.25 in August 2026. The app includes signed automatic updates through Sparkle, which checks GitHub Releases and installs Developer ID, notarized, EdDSA-verified updates. This means users do not need Homebrew for updates after installation. The maintenance cost for a user is low: updates are automatic, and the app is MIT-licensed, so you can inspect or modify the source. However, the project is maintained by a single author (bysiber), and the README does not mention a roadmap or contributor base. If the author stops, the cache path list may become stale as new developer tools emerge. The MIT license gives you freedom to fork, but you would need to maintain your own fork. There is no documented database of cache paths that is user-extensible, so adding a new tool's cache requires a code change.
Who Should Adopt It and What to Verify
Adopt ClearDisk if you are a macOS developer on version 14 or later who wants a free, GUI-based way to clean rebuildable caches without risking irreplaceable data. It is especially useful for Xcode users, since DerivedData can be huge. Do not adopt it if you prefer CLI tools, need to support older macOS, or require a tool that deletes directly to free space immediately. Before relying on it, verify that your specific caches are covered: check the 74-path list against your installed tools, and confirm that the Project Artifact Scanner detects your project types. Also, test the Trash-based deletion on a small cache first to understand the workflow, and ensure you have Full Disk Access if the scan misses paths. The README does not document a way to add custom cache paths, so if you use an obscure tool, ClearDisk may not cover it.
Editorial conclusion
ClearDisk is for macOS developers who regularly hit disk-full warnings from rebuildable caches and want a GUI that distinguishes safe deletions from risky ones. It is not for users who prefer CLI tools, need support for macOS versions below 14, or expect a tool that deletes directly without Trash. Before adopting it, verify that your specific cache paths are covered by checking the 74-path list and the 23 project types, and test the Trash-based deletion on a non-critical cache first, since the README does not document failure modes for partial scans or permission errors.
Community notes