96 hidden folders in one home directory held 29.8 GB
Folders starting with a dot are invisible in Finder and in System Settings. Measured on a developer's Mac: 29.8 GB across 96 of them, with what each was.
Any folder whose name begins with a dot is hidden in Finder. Developer tools use this for their caches, runtimes and history, so on a developer's Mac the hidden part of the home folder can be larger than Documents, Desktop and Downloads put together.
The largest
| Folder | Size | What it is |
|---|---|---|
.npm | 4.80 GB | npm's download cache and npx installs |
.nvm | 4.54 GB | Eight Node versions |
.cache | 3.42 GB | Command-line caches, mostly one abandoned install |
.devin | 2.47 GB | An AI agent's local data |
.windsurf | 2.02 GB | An AI editor's extensions and data |
.rustup | 1.71 GB | Rust toolchains and compile targets |
.openclaw | 1.67 GB | An AI agent's workspace |
.local | 1.41 GB | Mostly Claude Code versions |
.ScreamingFrogSEOSpider | 1.25 GB | An SEO crawler's database |
.codex | 1.00 GB | Codex CLI sessions and plugins |
.gradle | 0.97 GB | Gradle caches |
.cargo | 0.85 GB | Rust package registry |
.gemini | 0.83 GB | Gemini CLI data |
.yarn | 0.75 GB | Yarn's cache |
See yours
du -sh ~/.[!.]* 2>/dev/null | sort -h | tail -20
du -sk ~/.[!.]* 2>/dev/null | awk '{s+=$1} END {printf "%.1f GB\n", s/1048576}'In Finder, Command Shift full stop toggles hidden files on and off, as covered in showing hidden files. The sizes still will not show there; Terminal or a disk map is the way to see them.
What is safe
| Kind | Examples | Safe to clear? |
|---|---|---|
| Package caches | .npm, .yarn, .gradle/caches, .cargo/registry | Yes, they redownload |
| Runtime versions | .nvm, .rustup, .rbenv | Old versions, yes. Keep the one you use |
| AI tool data | .codex, .claude, .devin, .gemini | Old sessions and install leftovers, yes |
| App databases | .ScreamingFrogSEOSpider | Only through the app |
| Configuration | .ssh, .gitconfig, .zshrc, .config | No. Small and important |
The pattern is the one in Finder size versus Terminal size: what you cannot see is often what is filling the disk. Individual guides: npx cache, nvm versions, ~/.cache.
Related: LuaRocks trees and Foundry and solc caches.
Common questions
How do I see the size of hidden folders on a Mac?
In Terminal, run du -sh ~/.[!.]* | sort -h. Finder can show hidden folders with Command Shift full stop but does not size them.
How much space do hidden folders use?
On a developer's Mac they can be the largest part of the home folder. On the Mac measured, 96 of them held 29.8 GB.
Is it safe to delete hidden folders in my home?
Caches and old runtime versions, yes. Never delete configuration folders such as .ssh, and check any app's folder before removing it.
Why are these folders hidden?
By Unix convention a name starting with a dot is hidden, which tools use for data you are not expected to open directly.