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Is Gradle Cache Safe to Delete?

Build CachesTypical size: 2-10GB
Yes, Safe to Delete

Yes, Gradle caches are safe to delete. Dependencies will be re-downloaded when needed.

Side effects: Initial builds will take longer as dependencies are re-downloaded.

What is ~/.gradle/caches?

Gradle caches downloaded dependencies and build outputs. Deleting the caches folder is safe and Gradle will rebuild it automatically.

Is it safe to delete?

Yes~/.gradle/caches is generally safe to delete. The data in this folder is temporary and will be recreated by the application when needed.

Before deleting, make sure:

  • You don't have any important unsaved work in the related application
  • You're not in the middle of a critical task that might need this cached data
  • You understand that initial load times may be slower after deletion

What happens after deletion?

Initial builds will take longer as dependencies are re-downloaded. The folder will be recreated automatically by the application when needed. This process is typically seamless but may take some time depending on the amount of data that needs to be regenerated.

How to delete it

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MacMop finds this folder automatically and lets you delete it safely with one click.

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Terminal

rm -rf ~/.gradle/caches

Warning: This command permanently deletes the folder. Double-check the path before running.

Finder

  1. Open Finder
  2. Press ⌘ + Shift + G (Go to Folder)
  3. Paste: ~/.gradle/caches
  4. Move the folder to Trash

MacMop scans all your hidden caches and tells you exactly what's safe to delete.

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