purge-deps

purge-deps deletes JavaScript dependency leftovers and frontend build caches in a repo or monorepo. React Native / Expo leftovers are opt-in.

Run --dry-run first if you want to see what would be removed.

Installation

npm install -g purge-deps
npx purge-deps --dry-run

The npm package ships prebuilt binaries for macOS (arm64/x64), Linux (x64/arm64), and Windows (x64).

Usage

npx purge-deps [options]

With no flags, it walks the current directory using the js and frontend presets. Names in the ignore list are skipped. .gitignore globs under the search path are skipped unless the basename is also a target. .git is never deleted.

Options

-h, --help                         Show help
-p, --path <path>                  Directory to walk (default: .)
    --preset <presets>             Comma-separated presets (default: js,frontend)
-t, --targets <targets>            Replace delete targets; ignores presets
-e, --extends <targets>            Add names to the active preset targets
-i, --ignore <folders>             Add names to the default ignore list
    --replace-ignore <folders>     Replace the ignore list entirely
-g, --gitignore, --gi <true|false> Read `{path}/.gitignore` (default: true)
    --dry-run                      List matches without deleting them

-t and -e cannot be combined. -i and --replace-ignore cannot be combined.

-t and -e match basenames exactly. -e dist deletes every dist folder, including ones the frontend preset would leave alone (no package.json, or under android/ / ios/).

Presets

| Preset | Default | What it matches | |------------|---------|-----------------| | js | yes | node_modules, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, package-lock.json, bun.lock, bun.lockb | | frontend | yes | .next, .nuxt, .output, .nitro, .svelte-kit, .vite, .turbo, .parcel-cache, .vercel/output | | mobile | no | .expo, .expo-shared, ios/Pods, ios/build, android/build, android/app/build, android/.gradle, android/.cxx, android/app/.cxx |

frontend also uses path-aware rules so generic folder names are not deleted everywhere:

• dist / build — only when the parent directory has a package.json, and the path is not under android/ or ios/
• out — only when a sibling .next or next.config.* exists
• .vercel/output — not the whole .vercel directory

mobile does not delete the ios/ or android/ source trees themselves.

Defaults

| Option | Default | |------------|---------| | path | . | | preset | js,frontend | | ignore | .changeset, .git, .github, .husky, src | | gitignore| true |

Examples

# Preview default js+frontend matches
npx purge-deps --dry-run

# Delete default targets in a specific path
npx purge-deps -p ./apps

# JavaScript leftovers only (no .next / dist / .turbo)
npx purge-deps --preset js

# Include Expo / React Native leftovers
npx purge-deps --preset js,frontend,mobile

# Replace targets entirely (presets are ignored)
npx purge-deps -t "coverage,.cache"

# Add extra names on top of the active presets
npx purge-deps -e "tmp,.cache"

# Also skip vendor/ (keeps the default ignore list)
npx purge-deps -i vendor

# Ignore only vendor/
npx purge-deps --replace-ignore vendor

# Do not read .gitignore
npx purge-deps -g false