git-branch-cleaner-cli 🌿

Interactive CLI tool to bulk-delete local Git branches — with a protected list so you never accidentally remove main, prod, or your important branches.

Install

# From npm (once published)
npm install -g git-branch-cleaner-cli

# Or use directly with npx
npx git-branch-cleaner-cli

Usage

git-cleaner              # Interactive mode — pick branches to delete
git-cleaner --all        # Pre-select all deletable branches (still asks to confirm)
git-cleaner config       # Manage your protected branches list
git-cleaner --help       # Show help

How it works

1. Reads your protected list (stored in ~/.git-cleaner.json)
2. Shows all local branches except protected ones and your current branch
3. You check the ones you want to delete (space to toggle)
4. Confirms before deleting
5. Lets you choose -D (force) or -d (safe, merged only)

Protected branches

Default protected: main, master, prod, develop, staging

Your currently checked-out branch is always protected during a session.

Customize your protected list

git-cleaner config

This lets you add, remove, or replace the protected list. Config is saved globally at ~/.git-cleaner.json.

You can also edit it directly:

{
  "protected": ["main", "prod", "dev"]
}

Equivalent to

git branch | grep -v -E "^\*|main|prod|my-branch" | xargs git branch -D

...but interactive, safer, and reusable.

Requirements

• Node.js >= 16
• Must be run inside a Git repository

License

MIT