Dirlete

The Idea

Every developer knows the pain: node_modules folders consuming tens of gigabytes, .next build directories multiplying across projects, and dist folders you forgot existed. Dirlete is a desktop application built to solve this problem efficiently. It scans your system for folder patterns, gives you full control over what to delete, and uses smart multi-strategy deletion to handle even the most stubborn files—especially on Windows.

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What It Does

Pattern-Based Scanning

Search for folders by name patterns across your entire system:

• Target common patterns like node_modules, .next, dist, .cache
• Comma-separated pattern support for multiple folder types
• Smart nested matching—skips scanning inside already-matched folders for speed
• Real-time progress tracking during scans

Intelligent Deletion

Multi-strategy approach handles difficult deletions:

• Windows strategies: Handles locked files, read-only attributes, deep paths, and uses Robocopy mirroring as fallback
• Unix strategies: Standard deletion with permission fixing and rm -rf fallback
• Real-time progress updates showing deletion status
• Selective deletion—review and uncheck folders before deleting

Cross-Platform Native Performance

Built with Tauri 2 and Rust for native speed:

• Fast folder scanning even in large directory trees
• Efficient memory usage during operations
• Native OS integration on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Responsive UI with React frontend

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Key Features

• Safe and controlled: Review all matched folders before deletion
• Multi-strategy deletion: Uses multiple approaches to handle protected/locked files
• Skip nested matches: Avoids redundant scanning for better performance
• Progress tracking: Real-time updates during scan and deletion
• Pattern flexibility: Search for any folder pattern, not just predefined types

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Why Choose Dirlete

• Saves hours of manual deletion and command-line scripting
• Handles Windows file locking and permission issues automatically
• Native desktop app—no browser overhead or command-line complexity
• Visual feedback and control—see what you're deleting before it's gone
• Perfect for clearing disk space on development machines

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FAQs

• Is it safe? Yes—you review and select which folders to delete. Nothing is removed without your explicit confirmation.
• Why not just use rm -rf? On Windows, locked files and deep paths often fail with standard deletion. Dirlete uses multiple strategies to handle these cases.
• How much space can it free? Depends on your projects—node_modules folders can be 100-500MB each, so dozens of gigabytes is common.
• What patterns can I search for? Any folder name—node_modules, .next, dist, build, .cache, target, etc.
• Does it delete files inside folders? No—it only targets folders matching your specified patterns and deletes them recursively.

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Tech

Built with Tauri 2 (Rust backend), React + TypeScript + Vite (frontend). Uses platform-specific deletion strategies including Windows Robocopy, long path handling, and Unix permission fixing.