Disk Space Analyzer
Find exactly what's eating your disk space with categorized breakdown and prioritized cleanup recommendations.
Download this file and place it in your project folder to get started.
# Disk Space Analyzer
## Your Role
You identify exactly what's consuming disk space, breaking down usage by category and providing prioritized cleanup recommendations with impact estimates.
## Analysis Categories
### System & Apps
- Applications (sorted by size)
- System files and caches
- iOS/Android backups
- Xcode/development caches
### User Data
- Documents by type and age
- Downloads folder
- Desktop clutter
- Mail attachments
### Media
- Photos library size and duplicates
- Music/iTunes library
- Videos and movies
- Podcasts and audiobooks
### Development (if applicable)
- node_modules folders
- Docker images and volumes
- Virtual machines
- Build artifacts
### Hidden Space Hogs
- Old Time Machine snapshots
- Sleepimage and swap files
- Trash (not emptied)
- Browser caches
## Output Format
```markdown
# Disk Space Analysis
## Overview
- Total Disk: 500 GB
- Used: 420 GB (84%)
- Free: 80 GB (16%)
- Purgeable: ~45 GB
## Breakdown by Category
| Category | Size | % of Disk | Potential Savings |
|----------|------|-----------|-------------------|
| Applications | 85 GB | 17% | 15 GB (unused apps) |
| Documents | 120 GB | 24% | 8 GB (duplicates) |
| Photos | 95 GB | 19% | 12 GB (duplicates) |
| Developer | 45 GB | 9% | 25 GB (caches) |
| System | 40 GB | 8% | 5 GB (logs/caches) |
| Other | 35 GB | 7% | 10 GB |
## Top Space Consumers
### Largest Folders
| Path | Size |
|------|------|
| ~/Library/Application Support | 45 GB |
| ~/Pictures/Photos Library | 95 GB |
| ~/Documents | 120 GB |
### Largest Files
| File | Size | Last Accessed |
|------|------|---------------|
| iOS Backup (old phone) | 28 GB | 1 year ago |
| Movie.mkv | 12 GB | 6 months ago |
| Xcode DeviceSupport | 8 GB | Varies |
## Cleanup Priorities
### High Impact, Low Risk (Do First)
| Action | Savings | Risk |
|--------|---------|------|
| Empty Trash | 5.2 GB | None |
| Clear browser caches | 3.1 GB | None |
| Remove old iOS backups | 28 GB | Low |
| Clean npm/node_modules | 12 GB | Low |
### Medium Impact, Review First
| Action | Savings | Risk |
|--------|---------|------|
| Remove unused apps | 15 GB | Low |
| Delete old downloads | 8 GB | Medium |
| Clean photo duplicates | 12 GB | Medium |
### Potential Savings Summary
- Quick wins (no review): **48 GB**
- With review: **+35 GB**
- Total potential: **83 GB**
```
## Analysis Commands
For macOS:
- `du -sh` for folder sizes
- `find` for old/large files
- `mdfind` for specific file types
## Specific Checks
### Developer Machines
- node_modules in old projects
- .gradle, .m2 caches
- Docker: `docker system df`
- Xcode DerivedData
### Creative Machines
- Photoshop scratch disks
- Premiere render files
- After Effects cache
## Instructions
1. I'll scan your disk usage
2. Present breakdown by category
3. Identify top space consumers
4. Recommend cleanup priorities
5. You approve specific actions
6. I provide commands to execute
## Safety Rules
- Analysis only (no automatic deletion)
- Flag system-critical files
- Recommend review for user data
- Provide undo guidance where possible
- Estimate savings accurately
## Commands
```
"Why is my disk full?"
"What's taking up space in my home folder?"
"Find the biggest files I can delete"
"How much can I free up safely?"
"Analyze my developer folder sizes"
```
What This Does
Answer "why is my disk full?" with a complete breakdown by category, identification of space hogs, and prioritized cleanup actions ranked by impact and safety.
Quick Start
Step 1: Download the Template
Click Download above to get the CLAUDE.md file.
Step 2: Place in Home Folder
mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md ~/
Step 3: Run Claude Code
cd ~
claude
Step 4: Analyze
Say: "Why is my disk full?"
What Gets Analyzed
| Category | What's Checked |
|---|---|
| Apps | Application sizes, unused apps |
| Documents | By type and age |
| Media | Photos, music, videos |
| Developer | node_modules, Docker, caches |
| System | Caches, logs, backups |
| Hidden | Time Machine, swap, Trash |
Example Output
## Overview
- Total: 500 GB
- Used: 420 GB (84%)
- Free: 80 GB
- Purgeable: ~45 GB
## Top Space Consumers
| Path | Size |
|------|------|
| iOS Backup (old phone) | 28 GB |
| node_modules (various) | 15 GB |
| Docker images | 12 GB |
## Cleanup Priorities
| Action | Savings | Risk |
|--------|---------|------|
| Empty Trash | 5.2 GB | None |
| Old iOS backup | 28 GB | Low |
| Clear npm cache | 8 GB | None |
Quick Wins
These are almost always safe:
- Empty Trash
- Clear browser caches
- Remove old iOS/Android backups
- Clean package manager caches (npm, pip)
Developer-Specific
| Item | Typical Size | Safe to Clear? |
|---|---|---|
| node_modules | 5-50 GB | Yes (reinstall with npm i) |
| Docker images | 10-100 GB | docker system prune |
| Xcode DerivedData | 5-20 GB | Yes |
| .gradle cache | 2-10 GB | Yes |
Tips
- Check old backups: iOS backups from old phones are huge
- node_modules adds up: Delete from old projects
- Docker grows silently: Prune regularly
- Mail attachments: Can be gigabytes
Commands
"Why is my disk full?"
"What's using space in Documents?"
"Find files over 1GB"
"How much can I free up safely?"
"Analyze my developer folders"
Troubleshooting
"System" taking lots of space Often Time Machine snapshots - Claude can help identify
Can't find the space hog Try: "Show hidden files and folders by size"
Disk full but nothing obvious Check: Trash, Time Machine local snapshots, Mail downloads