cleanse - Remove bin/obj Folders

Overview#

The cleanse command recursively removes all bin and obj folders from a directory tree. This is useful for cleaning up build artifacts, reducing disk space usage, and ensuring fresh builds. It’s particularly helpful when switching branches, troubleshooting build issues, or preparing a codebase for distribution.

Syntax#

nmbl cleanse [Path] [options]

Arguments#

• Path - Root directory to clean (default: current directory)

Options#

• -y - Skip confirmation prompt and delete immediately

Output#

Reports the number of folders deleted.

Examples#

Clean Current Directory (With Confirmation)#

nmbl cleanse

Prompts for confirmation before deleting folders.

Clean Specific Path Without Confirmation#

nmbl cleanse ~/projects/MySolution -y

Immediately deletes all bin/obj folders under the specified path.

Clean Before Switching Branches#

# Clean before branch switch
nmbl cleanse -y

# Switch branches
git checkout feature-branch

# Do a clean build
dotnet build

Clean Multiple Solutions#

nmbl cleanse ~/projects/Solution1 -y
nmbl cleanse ~/projects/Solution2 -y
nmbl cleanse ~/projects/Solution3 -y

Use Cases#

Troubleshooting Build Issues#

# Clean all build artifacts
nmbl cleanse -y

# Rebuild from scratch
dotnet clean
dotnet restore
dotnet build

Build issues sometimes stem from stale artifacts. A full cleanse ensures a fresh start.

Reducing Disk Space#

# See how much space you're using
du -sh ~/projects

# Clean all solutions
nmbl cleanse ~/projects -y

# Check space savings
du -sh ~/projects

Build artifacts can consume significant disk space, especially in large solutions.

Preparing for Git Operations#

# Before committing or switching branches
nmbl cleanse -y

# Ensures build artifacts aren't accidentally committed
git status

CI/CD Scripts#

# In a build script
nmbl cleanse /build/source -y
dotnet restore
dotnet build
dotnet test

Start CI builds with a clean slate.

End of Day Cleanup#

# Clean up your workspace
nmbl cleanse ~/workspace -y

Free up disk space and ensure tomorrow’s builds are fresh.

What Gets Deleted#

The command removes:

• All bin folders and their contents
• All obj folders and their contents
• These folders are recursively found in the entire directory tree

Safety Features#

• Confirmation prompt - By default, asks for confirmation before deletion
• Selective deletion - Only removes bin and obj folders, nothing else
• Progress reporting - Shows how many folders were deleted

Tips#

Create an Alias#

# Add to your shell profile
alias clean='nmbl cleanse -y'

# Use it
clean

Combine with Git Clean#

# Remove build artifacts
nmbl cleanse -y

# Remove untracked files
git clean -fdx -e .vs -e .vscode

Complete cleanup including git ignored files.

Weekly Maintenance#

# Add to cron or scheduled task
nmbl cleanse ~/projects -y

Automatically clean up build artifacts weekly.

Related Commands#

• endregions - Remove region directives
• gitupdate - Update git repositories