czkawka
A multi-platform desktop utility to find and remove unnecessary files like duplicates, empty folders, similar images, and more.
What is czkawka?
Czkawka (and its newer GUI frontend Krokiet) is a free, open-source desktop application designed to help users clean up their computers by identifying and removing unnecessary files. It offers a wide range of tools to find duplicates, empty folders, similar media, temporary files, and other clutter, helping to reclaim disk space and organize data efficiently.
Users across Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, and Android who need a privacy-focused, offline tool to manage disk space by finding and removing junk files, duplicates, and similar media. It also targets developers looking to integrate file-scanning functionality via its reusable Rust core library.
Developers choose Czkawka for its combination of speed (multithreaded Rust), privacy (fully offline), and modularity (multiple frontends from a shared core). It provides a comprehensive, ad-free alternative to commercial cleaners with advanced features like similar media detection and a portable CLI for automation.
Overview
Multi functional app to find duplicates, empty folders, similar images etc.
Use Cases
Best For
- Finding and removing duplicate files based on hash, size, or name to free up disk space.
- Identifying visually similar images and videos (e.g., with different resolutions or watermarks) to declutter media libraries.
- Cleaning temporary files, empty folders, and broken files across multiple operating systems with a single tool.
- Automating file cleanup tasks via its command-line interface (CLI) for scripts or scheduled jobs.
- Removing EXIF metadata from files or optimizing videos by cropping static parts and converting formats.
- Integrating file-scanning capabilities into other applications using its reusable Rust library (czkawka_core).
Not Ideal For
- Users who prefer a single, mature GUI without managing multiple frontends (Krokiet vs Czkawka GTK vs experimental Cedinia)
- Projects requiring cloud sync or online features, as Czkawka is strictly offline with no internet access
- Teams needing enterprise-level support or detailed documentation, since it's community-driven and some components are experimental
- Real-time system monitoring or antivirus tasks, as it focuses on batch scanning and cleanup, not continuous protection
Pros & Cons
Pros
Leverages multithreaded Rust and efficient algorithms for fast performance, with cache support making repeat scans even quicker, as noted in the README.
Works entirely offline with no data collection or ads, ensuring user privacy and security, which is a core philosophy mentioned in the features.
Runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, and Android via multiple frontends (GUI, CLI, experimental app), offering broad accessibility.
Includes diverse tools like duplicate finders, similar media detection, EXIF cleaning, and video optimization, covering many cleanup needs beyond basic duplicates.
Cons
With Krokiet as the new Slint-based GUI and Czkawka GTK in maintenance mode, users face inconsistency and potential confusion between different frontends.
The Android app (Cedinia) is labeled as experimental and lacks features like video tools due to missing ffmpeg, limiting its reliability.
Components have different licenses (MIT for CLI/GTK, GPL for Slint-based frontends), which could complicate integration or distribution for some projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
BatA cat(1) clone with wings.
fdA simple, fast and user-friendly alternative to 'find'
nushellA new type of shell
zoxideA smarter cd command. Supports all major shells.
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.