Overview
Android development is notorious for massive build directories. Between Gradle caches, build outputs, and the Android SDK, a single project can consume several gigabytes—and that's before considering multiple build variants.
What Cluttered Cleans
| Artifact | Description | Typical Size |
|---|---|---|
build/ | Compiled outputs per module | 200MB - 2GB |
.gradle/ | Gradle wrapper and cache | 100MB - 1GB |
| Generated APKs/AABs | Build outputs | 50MB - 500MB |
| Build cache | Incremental build data | 500MB - 3GB |
Why Android Builds Get Large
Android projects accumulate space from:
- Build variants: Debug, release, and flavors multiply outputs
- Gradle cache: Downloaded dependencies and build cache
- Generated code: Data binding, Room, Dagger/Hilt
- Resource processing: Compiled resources for multiple densities
Safety Considerations
Cluttered protects your Android projects by:
- Detecting running Gradle daemons
- Checking for active Android Studio processes
- Identifying recently built variants
- Preserving signed release builds
Gradle Cache Management
The global Gradle cache (~/.gradle) is shared across projects. Cluttered helps you:
- Identify unused cached dependencies
- Clean old Gradle wrapper versions
- Remove stale daemon logs
- Clear build caches safely
Frequently Asked Questions
Will cleaning break my project?
No. Run ./gradlew build to rebuild. All source code and configurations remain intact.
What about my signed APKs?
Cluttered warns before cleaning directories containing signed builds. You can exclude specific outputs.
Does it clean the Android SDK?
Cluttered can identify unused SDK components and emulator images in Pro mode.