Answers for cleaning generated development folders on macOS.

How do I safely clean node_modules on Mac?

Short answer: Scan the parent project folder, review each node_modules result, keep anything you still need, and move selected folders to Trash.

node_modules folders contain installed JavaScript dependencies. They can usually be recreated with npm, Yarn, or pnpm, but DevClean still shows the path and size before cleanup so you can avoid removing the wrong project folder.

Can I delete Xcode DerivedData?

Short answer: DerivedData is generated by Xcode and can usually be removed when you need disk space or want to clear stale build state.

DevClean can find DerivedData and related Xcode folders such as Archives, iOS DeviceSupport, and CoreSimulator caches. Review these targets carefully because some Xcode folders may be useful for older projects or archived builds.

Is it safe to remove Pods?

Short answer: CocoaPods Pods folders can often be recreated from a Podfile, but they should still be reviewed before cleanup.

DevClean only treats Pods as a cleanup target when it appears beside CocoaPods files such as Podfile or Podfile.lock, which reduces accidental matches.

What developer folders does DevClean focus on?

DevClean focuses on generated dependency, cache, and build folders, including node_modules, Pods, DerivedData, Gradle caches, npm cache, pnpm store, Yarn cache, Python caches, Rust target folders, SwiftPM .build folders, dist folders, and coverage output.

What makes DevClean different from a general Mac cleaner?

DevClean is narrow by design. It scans only folders you choose and focuses on development folders that are usually recreated by package managers, build tools, or Xcode. It is not a broad system cleaner.

Does DevClean delete files immediately?

No. DevClean moves selected folders to Trash by default. Permanent deletion is available only from Advanced settings and shows a separate irreversible warning.