I built a C++ tool to clean development junk files on Windows

As developers, our machines slowly fill up with development-related junk files.

Things like:

• node_modules


• build artifacts
  


• cached files
  


• temporary folders created during development
  

On Windows, general-purpose cleaners often feel either too aggressive or too opaque, while manual cleanup is repetitive and error-prone.

So I decided to build a small open-source tool called Dev-FileCleaner.

❓ Why I built it

I wanted a tool focused specifically on development folders, with a clear and predictable behavior.

My goals were:

• make cleanup safer and more transparent
  


• avoid “one-click magic” that deletes things blindly
  


• provide a simple graphical interface instead of command-line only tools
  


• focus only on development-related directories
  

The idea was to give developers control, not automation without context.

🖥️ What Dev-FileCleaner does

Dev-FileCleaner is a Windows desktop application written in C++ that scans for common development junk folders and lets you clean them in a controlled way.

It focuses on directories such as:

• dependency folders (for example node_modules)
  


• build outputs
  


• cached artifacts generated during development
  

Instead of running silently, the tool:

• shows what it finds
  


• lets the user review the results
  


• performs cleanup only when explicitly requested
  

⚙️ Why C++

I chose C++ mainly for:

• performance when scanning large directory trees
  


• low memory overhead
  


• direct control over filesystem operations
  


• building a native Windows application
  

This project was also a good opportunity to work with filesystem APIs and desktop application development in C++.

🧠 What I’d like feedback on

This is still an evolving project, and I’d really appreciate feedback on:

• the overall UX of the GUI
  


• safety assumptions around deleting folders
  


• features that would actually help developers
  


• ideas for improving usability or extending the tool
  

🔓 Open source

The project is fully open source and available on GitHub:

👉 https://github.com/Usero0/Dev-FileCleaner

If you work on Windows and often deal with development junk folders, I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions.

Thanks for reading 👋