Dash docsets: offline documentation for every language and version you ever downloaded
Dash stores each docset as a full offline copy of that documentation, and old versions stay after updates. Where they live and how to prune them.
Dash keeps documentation offline as docsets, one per language, framework or library. Some are small. Large ones, such as complete platform documentation or popular frameworks with many versions, are much bigger. Every docset you downloaded to look something up once is still there.
Find them
Dash shows where docsets are stored in its settings, on the Downloads tab. The default is inside Dash's Application Support folder:
du -sh ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dash 2>/dev/null
du -sh ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dash/*/* 2>/dev/null | sort -h | tail -15Pruning
- Remove docsets for languages and frameworks you no longer use, from Dash's settings, so Dash stays consistent.
- Check for several versions of the same docset. Keep the versions your projects use.
- User contributed and cheat sheet docsets are usually small. The large ones are platform documentation.
Moving them
Dash lets you change the docset location in its settings. An external drive works if you only look things up at your desk.
Documentation is a small part of most developer setups. For the large parts, see developer storage and Mac storage tools for developers.
Common questions
Where does Dash store docsets on a Mac?
The location is shown in Dash's settings, on the Downloads tab. By default it is inside ~/Library/Application Support/Dash.
Can I delete Dash docsets?
Yes. Remove them from Dash's settings so it stays consistent. You can download any docset again later.
Why are some Dash docsets so large?
They are complete offline copies of the documentation, including images and every page. Platform documentation is the largest.