Question 1

How to schedule wipe-modules to run automatically on my Mac?

Accepted Answer

Use the provided cron-file, edit it to set your path and days, then run 'crontab cron-file' to activate. For example, change the entry to '0 11 * * *' for daily at 11 AM, as explained in the cron setup section.

Question 2

Does wipe-modules work on Windows without cron?

Accepted Answer

The script itself can run on Windows with a compatible shell, but cron integration is Unix-only. For automation on Windows, you'd need to manually set up Task Scheduler or similar tools.

Question 3

Can I exclude certain projects from being cleaned by wipe-modules?

Accepted Answer

No, wipe-modules doesn't support exclusion lists. You might need to move sensitive projects out of the target directory or modify the shell script to add custom logic.

Question 4

wipe-modules vs using 'npm cache clean' or similar tools?

Accepted Answer

wipe-modules targets inactive project node_modules for permanent deletion to free disk space, while 'npm cache clean' clears cached packages. They serve different purposes—wipe-modules is for project-level cleanup, not cache management.

Question 5

How does wipe-modules decide if a project is inactive?

Accepted Answer

It checks the last modification time of files in the project directory. If no files have been modified for the specified days threshold, it marks the project as inactive and targets its node_modules.

Question 6

What if I accidentally delete a node_modules with wipe-modules?

Accepted Answer

Since deletions are permanent, you'd need to reinstall dependencies using 'npm install' in that project. Always use dry-run mode first to preview what will be removed.

wipe-modules

What is wipe-modules?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions