nmclean (Node Modules Cleaner)

A simple and efficient Node.js CLI tool to recursively find and delete node_modules directories from your project and its subdirectories.

Description

nmclean is designed to help developers clean up their projects by removing all node_modules folders. It starts from the current working directory and recursively searches through all subdirectories to locate and delete any node_modules directories it finds. This is particularly useful for freeing up disk space or preparing a project for archiving/deployment.

Installation

Install globally via npm:

npm install -g nmclean

Or run directly with npx:

npx nmclean

Usage

After installation, simply run the command in your project directory:

nmclean

The tool will:

1. Start scanning from the current working directory
2. Recursively search all subdirectories
3. Delete any node_modules folders found
4. Display progress with colored output
5. Handle permission errors gracefully

Example Output

--- Node Modules Cleaner (nmclean) ---
Scanning: /path/to/your/project

Deleting: /path/to/your/project/node_modules
Deleting: /path/to/your/project/subdir/node_modules

[nmclean] Success: All node_modules removed.

Features

• Recursive Deletion: Cleans node_modules from the current directory and all subdirectories
• Safe Operation: Handles permission errors and missing directories gracefully
• Colored Output: Provides clear visual feedback during the cleaning process
• Fast and Efficient: Uses Node.js built-in file system operations for optimal performance
• Zero Dependencies: Lightweight with no external dependencies

How It Works

The tool uses Node.js's fs/promises API to:

1. Read directory contents recursively
2. Identify directories named node_modules
3. Use fs.rm() with recursive: true and force: true to remove them completely
4. Continue scanning even if some deletions fail due to permissions

Warning

⚠️ This tool permanently deletes directories and their contents. Make sure you have backups if needed.

While node_modules can always be restored with npm install, be cautious when running this in directories containing important data.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Links

• npm Package
• GitHub Repository
• Issues