Free macOS CLI to clean disk space — caches, logs, Homebrew, Xcode. Open-source alternative to CleanMyMac
1.8k
Stars
171
Forks
1
Open issues
8
Contributors
AI Analysis
mac-cleaner-cli is a free, open-source terminal utility for macOS that reclaims disk space by removing caches, logs, Homebrew artifacts, Xcode DerivedData, and other junk files through an interactive CLI interface. It serves developers and macOS users who need practical disk management without subscription software, offering a command-line alternative to commercial tools like CleanMyMac. Not intended for users who prefer graphical interfaces or those without terminal familiarity.
Inferred from signals mentioned in the README (tests, CI, type safety) — not a review of the actual code.
AI's overall editorial judgment — not an average of the bars above, can weigh other factors too.
TypeScript macOS cleaner CLI targeting developers who want terminal-based disk management without subscriptions
mac-cleaner-cli is an open-source, MIT-licensed command-line tool for removing caches, logs, and development artifacts from macOS. Built in TypeScript and distributed via npm, it targets developers and DevOps engineers who prefer scriptable, offline tools over GUI cleaners like CleanMyMac. The project gained ~1,800 stars in 7 months and maintains active CI/CD, indicating sustained development effort but modest real-world adoption metrics remain unverified.
Created December 2025, the project emerged as a direct response to commercial macOS cleaning tools. The author explicitly positions it as a free, open alternative to CleanMyMac X, with feature parity claims around app uninstallation and cache removal. A companion Windows variant exists, suggesting intent to build a cross-platform ecosystem.
Project gained 1,834 stars across 7 months (average ~26 stars/week), with recent momentum of 27 stars in the last 7 days. Growth appears organic rather than viral. npm package availability and no-installation npx distribution likely enabled initial adoption among JavaScript/Node developers. The presence of CI/CD automation and active maintenance signals (last push July 2, 2026) suggests the author is invested, but absolute growth remains modest compared to established peers (Mac-CLI has 9×+ stars).
Adoption not verified. README claims zero telemetry and privacy-first design but provides no evidence of production deployments, enterprise usage, or user testimonials. npm download metrics mentioned in README (badge displayed) but actual download numbers not accessible from provided metadata. No documented use in CI/CD pipelines, development teams, or DevOps contexts despite claims of CI/CD-friendliness.
Based on README, the tool appears modular with separate "safe," "moderate," and "risky" cleaning categories, interactive file selection via checkbox UI, and support for drilling down into folders. TypeScript and npm distribution suggest a Node.js-based CLI using standard CLI libraries (not detailed in README). Likely uses child processes for system operations like DNS flushing and Docker cleanup.
Not documented in README. CI workflow badge present but workflow contents not provided. Actual test coverage and test strategy cannot be verified from available metadata.
Last push 2026-07-02 (same date as analysis), indicating continuous active development. CI workflow automated and badge displayed. MIT license with Ko-fi support link suggests sole or small maintainer. Only 171 forks and no mention of external contributions in README may indicate limited community collaboration. 5 runtime dependencies claimed as 'minimal' and from 'trusted maintainers' but specific dependencies not listed.
ADOPT IF: you are a developer or DevOps engineer comfortable with CLI tools, value offline-first operation, want scriptable cleaning integrated into shell workflows or CI/CD, and accept the risk of a young project. AVOID IF: you need proven production stability, extensive user base confirmation, or GUI-based interaction; or if your team requires established vendor support or commercial SLAs. MONITOR IF: you are considering it for team adoption — watch for 3–6 months of continued active maintenance, npm download metrics, and community issue/PR activity before committing to production automation.
Independent dimensions
Mainstream potential
3/10
Technical importance
5/10
Adoption evidence
2/10
- Single or very small maintainer team with no visible succession plan; long-term maintenance uncertain if author loses interest
- Adoption metrics unverified — star count and downloads not publicly accessible; may overstate real-world usage
- Young project (7 months old) with no documented production deployments, testing in varied macOS versions/configurations, or backward compatibility promise
- Potential for dangerous file deletion if category logic or user interaction has edge-case bugs; no mention of dry-run mode or backup features in README
- Node.js/npm dependency chain required for a system maintenance tool; heavier footprint and startup overhead vs. native alternatives like Swift or C
Likely to remain a niche tool for developers who prefer terminal workflows and privacy. Modest slow growth plausible if npm adoption continues and DevOps/CI-CD use cases expand. Unlikely to achieve mainstream market share of CleanMyMac or GUI-based tools. Risk of abandonment if author's availability changes; success depends on community contribution model which is not yet evident.
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Languages
Information
- Language
- TypeScript
- License
- MIT
- Last updated
- 1w ago
- Created
- 7mo ago
- Analyzed with
- anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5
Stars over time
Contributors over time
Top 100 contributors only — repos with more will plateau at 100.
Open issues
No open issues — clean slate.
Top contributors
Recent releases
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Much larger installed base and longer maturity. Shell-based, broader system admin scope. mac-cleaner-cli is more focused on disk cleanup and includes interactive UI; Mac-CLI appears more general-purpose systems tool.
Native Swift implementation (vs. Node.js), likely faster and lower-footprint. PureMac significantly more adopted. mac-cleaner-cli trades native performance for npm accessibility and cross-platform potential (Windows variant exists).
Similar star count to mac-cleaner-cli but narrower scope (Xcode-focused). mac-cleaner-cli broader but newer to market; unclear if broader scope translates to adoption.
README explicitly positions against CleanMyMac (paid, closed-source, telemetry). mac-cleaner-cli offers free, offline alternative but no evidence it has meaningfully displaced commercial users; likely serves price-sensitive and privacy-conscious subset.
Paid, GUI-only, visual disk analysis focus. mac-cleaner-cli competes on price and terminal access; DaisyDisk likely dominates visual/casual user segment.
