StackSweep

Delete node_modules, build folders and dev caches on Windows — safely.
Free up gigabytes of disk space from node_modules, .next, dist, build, Gradle, Rust target, Python .venv and more.

Download for Windows · FAQ · How it works

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StackSweep is a free, open-source Windows app for developers whose disk is full of old project dependencies and build output. Point it at a folder or a whole drive: it finds every project, recognises its stack (Node.js, Next.js, Gradle, Rust, Python, .NET, Flutter…), and offers to delete only the folders that stack regenerates. Your source code, committed files, SDKs and installed apps are never touched.

On a busy developer drive it typically finds tens of gigabytes, and a whole drive scans in under a minute.

Every finding shows the evidence behind it	Live progress while deleting, with a Stop button

_{Screenshots use a demo folder of sample projects.}

What it cleans

Stack	Folders it can remove
Node.js (npm, pnpm, yarn, bun)	node_modules, and dist / build / out when your build tool writes them, .turbo, .parcel-cache, .vite, coverage
Next.js · Nuxt · SvelteKit · Astro · Angular · Gatsby · Docusaurus	.next, .nuxt, .output, .svelte-kit, .astro, .angular, .cache, .docusaurus
React Native · Expo · Android (Gradle)	.expo, android/app/build, android/build, .gradle, .cxx
iOS (CocoaPods)	Pods, build
Rust	target
Python	.venv, venv, __pycache__, .pytest_cache, .mypy_cache, .ruff_cache, .tox, build, dist
Java (Maven)	target
.NET / C#	bin, obj
Flutter / Dart	build, .dart_tool
PHP (Composer) · Ruby (Bundler)	vendor
C / C++ (CMake)	build, cmake-build-*
Unity · Godot	Library, Temp, Obj, Logs, .godot
Swift · Zig · Elixir · Haskell	.build, zig-out, .zig-cache, _build, deps, .stack-work

It can also point out large runtime data inside projects (gitignored uploads, logs, tmp, renders, output…). These are marked Review and are never pre-selected, because unlike build output they do not come back.

Why it is safe

A folder called build is not junk because of its name. StackSweep only offers it when the evidence agrees:

• The project's stack owns it. dist is only offered when Vite, webpack, Rollup or another tool in that project writes dist.
• Nothing in it is committed to git. A dist with committed files is source, whatever it is called. It is shown as Blocked.
• Git ignores it, or it carries a marker only a tool writes, such as .package-lock.json, CACHEDIR.TAG, pyvenv.cfg or BUILD_ID.
• SDKs and installed software are skipped: AppData, Program Files, VS Code and Cursor extensions, packaged Electron apps, emsdk, nvm, the Android SDK, global npm packages.
• It checks again right before deleting. If a file inside was committed in the meantime, the folder is left alone.

Every finding is marked Safe, Review or Blocked, with the evidence behind it and the command that brings it back (npm install, cargo build…).

Features

• Scan any folder or entire drives
• Groups results by project or by kind (dependencies, build output, caches, native builds, venvs)
• "Select all safe" in one click, with sizes and the last time each project was touched
• Handles locked folders and very long Windows paths, and tells you when a dev server or IDE is holding files open
• Offline: no AI, no network, no telemetry
• Light and dark mode

Deletion is permanent. Files do not go to the Recycle Bin. Nothing is deleted until you tick it and confirm.

Download

Download the latest installer from Releases (StackSweep-Setup-x.y.z.exe). Every push also builds one, available from Actions.

Git should be installed and on PATH. StackSweep uses it to tell committed files from build output; without it, most findings are marked Review instead of Safe.

FAQ

How do I delete all node_modules folders on Windows?

Open StackSweep, choose the folder that holds your projects (or tick a whole drive), click Scan, then Select all safe and Delete Permanently. It removes every node_modules at once, including the nested ones, and it also finds .next, dist, build and other caches you may have forgotten.

Is it safe to delete node_modules, .next, dist or build?

Yes, if they are generated output. npm install (or pnpm/yarn) restores node_modules, and your next build recreates .next, dist or build. The risk is a folder that only looks generated: a dist with committed files, or a build that is really source. StackSweep checks git and the project's tooling and blocks those.

Why can't I delete node_modules? ("file in use", "access denied", "path too long")

Usually a dev server, an IDE, an emulator or a file watcher still has files open, or the path is longer than Explorer can handle. StackSweep deletes long paths without trouble, retries brief locks, and if a folder is still locked it says so in red so you know to close the dev server or IDE and try again.

How can I free up disk space as a developer?

Dependencies and build caches from old projects are usually the biggest win: node_modules, .next, Gradle build and .gradle, Rust target, Python virtual environments and Android .cxx folders often add up to tens of gigabytes. Scan your code folder with StackSweep to see exactly how much each project uses.

How do I clean Gradle / Android Studio build folders?

StackSweep recognises every Gradle module (build.gradle or build.gradle.kts) and offers its build, .gradle and .cxx folders, including those inside React Native and Flutter projects. The global Gradle cache in your user folder is left alone.

How do I delete Rust target folders or Python venvs?

Rust target folders are found next to Cargo.toml and confirmed by their CACHEDIR.TAG. Python .venv/venv folders are confirmed by pyvenv.cfg, and scattered __pycache__ folders are gathered into one row per project.

Will it delete my source code or anything committed to git?

No. Any folder with committed files inside is Blocked and cannot be selected. That is checked during the scan and again right before deleting.

Does it move files to the Recycle Bin?

No, deletion is permanent. Sending hundreds of thousands of small files to the Recycle Bin is extremely slow and often fails, and everything StackSweep offers can be rebuilt. The confirmation dialog says this up front.

Does it send any data anywhere?

No. It works fully offline: no AI, no network requests, no telemetry.

Is this an npkill alternative?

Yes. StackSweep is a Windows desktop app rather than a terminal tool, it covers many stacks beyond Node.js, and it checks git and each project's tooling before offering a folder.

Does it work on macOS or Linux?

No, StackSweep is Windows only.

Build from source

npm install
npm start        # run the app
npm run check    # offline self-check
npm run scan -- "D:\code"   # dry run in the terminal, deletes nothing
npm run dist     # build the installer into release/

Requires Node.js 20+. The design and the safety rules are documented in docs/how-it-works.md.

License

MIT © mehrabsha