Mole is an open supply Mac upkeep device for individuals who would somewhat clear, uninstall, check out disk utilization, and track device well being from Terminal than juggle a number of separate apps.

In sensible phrases, it sits in the similar house as CleanMyMac, AppCleaner, DaisyDisk, and iStat Menus. The adaptation is that Mole tries to hide the ones jobs in a single command line device.
That’s what makes it attention-grabbing. As a substitute of treating Mac cleanup as one app, uninstallation as every other, disk research as every other, and device tracking as every other, Mole pulls them into one workflow.
Contents
- 1 What Mole Is
- 2 What Paid Apps Is Mole an Selection To?
- 3 Which Platforms Does Mole Enhance?
- 4 The way to Set up Mole
- 5 The way to Get started The use of Mole
- 6 What Does Mole Blank?
- 7 The way to Use A few of Mole’s Maximum Helpful Instructions
- 7.0.1 1. mo clear: Deep Cleanup
- 7.0.2 2. mo uninstall: Take away an App and Its Leftovers
- 7.0.3 3. mo analyze: In finding What Is Consuming Your Disk
- 7.0.4 4. mo standing: Watch Device Well being Reside
- 7.0.5 mo optimize: Refresh Device Products and services and Caches
- 7.0.6 mo purge: Take away Previous Undertaking Construct Junk
- 7.0.7 mo installer: Blank Up Forgotten Installers
- 8 Protection Notes You Will have to Know Prior to The use of Mole
- 9 Is Mole Price Attempting?
What Mole Is
Mole is a Mac software serious about cleanup, uninstalling apps, disk inspection, light-weight device upkeep, and reside standing tracking. You put in it, run it with the mo command, and both use the interactive interface or bounce immediately into person instructions.
The full enchantment is simple:
- clear caches, logs, browser leftovers, and app junk
- take away put in apps in conjunction with similar leftovers
- check out disk utilization and see huge information
- run maintenance-oriented device cleanup duties
- watch CPU, reminiscence, disk, community, and procedure process reside
In contrast to GUI-first Mac utilities, Mole is terminal-based. That makes it a greater have compatibility for customers preferring keyboard-driven gear, readable instructions, and scriptable output over a refined desktop interface.
What Paid Apps Is Mole an Selection To?
The cleanest approach to take into consideration Mole is as a unfastened selection in the similar common class as:
- CleanMyMac for cleanup and optimization
- AppCleaner for app removing and leftover cleanup
- DaisyDisk for disk utilization research and large-file discovery
- iStat Menus for reside device tracking
It isn’t a assured one-to-one alternative for each and every characteristic in the ones apps, however it obviously objectives at that stack. For a more in-depth have a look at a type of paid possible choices, see 20 CleanMyMac X Hidden Options to Discover.
In the event you already use multiple software for cleanup, uninstalling, and disk inspection, Mole is smart right away. Every other app on this broader cleanup class is BuhoCleaner for Mac, despite the fact that Mole takes a extra terminal-first method.
Which Platforms Does Mole Enhance?
- macOS: the principle supported platform
- Home windows: an experimental edition exists within the repository’s
home windowsdepartment
There’s no transparent Linux beef up in its present positioning, so it makes extra sense to regard Mole as a Mac-first device.
The way to Set up Mole
Mole can also be put in in two easy techniques.
Set up With Homebrew
brew set up mole
That is the most simple direction for many Mac customers.

Set up With the Undertaking Script
curl -fsSL https://uncooked.githubusercontent.com/tw93/mole/leading/set up.sh | bash
If you need extra regulate, the set up script additionally helps deciding on the newest main-branch construct or a selected free up edition.
The way to Get started The use of Mole
As soon as put in, run:
mo
That opens Mole’s interactive menu.

If you want to bounce immediately to precise purposes, those are the principle instructions you are going to use maximum regularly:
mo clear mo uninstall mo optimize mo analyze mo standing mo purge mo installer
It additionally supplies:
mo touchid mo finishing touch mo replace mo take away mo --help mo --version
Throughout the interface, you’ll transfer round with arrow keys or Vim-style h/j/okay/l controls.
What Does Mole Blank?
Mole covers a number of helpful cleanup classes as a substitute of proscribing itself to only browser cache or temp information.
1. Caches and Brief Recordsdata
The mo clear command is the overall deep-clean choice. It goals classes reminiscent of:
- consumer app cache
- browser cache from Chrome, Safari, and Firefox
- developer device cache from Xcode, Node.js, and npm
- device logs and temp information
- app-specific cache from apps like Spotify, Dropbox, and Slack
- Trash

Here’s a extra lifelike instance of what a mo clear record can seem like, with a couple of machine-specific main points generalized for privateness:
Blank Your Mac [note] Use --dry-run to preview, --whitelist to regulate secure paths [done] Admin get admission to granted [system] Apple Silicon | Loose house: 88Gi [done] Whitelist: core coverage regulations energetic > Device [done] Device crash studies [done] Device logs [done] Browser code signature caches [done] Device diagnostic logs [done] Energy logs [done] Not anything to scrub > Person Necessities [done] Person app cache, about 1.8GB [done] Person app logs, about 229MB [done] Trash already empty > App Caches [done] Wallpaper aerial thumbnails [done] macOS Lend a hand device cache [done] Maps geo tile cache [done] Workforce Boxes logs and caches > Browsers [done] Chrome GPU cache [done] Chrome element cache [done] Chrome shader cache [done] Chrome provider employee cache [done] Updater cache and previous information [note] Browser in use, some old-version cleanup skipped > Cloud and Administrative center [done] Not anything to scrub > Developer Equipment [done] npm cache [done] npm npx cache [done] npm logs [done] pnpm cache [done] pip cache [note] Docker unused knowledge skipped by means of default -> Evaluation: docker device df -> Prune: docker device prune --filter till=720h [note] Xcode unavailable simulators skipped when simctl is unavailable [done] Homebrew lock information [done] Homebrew cleanup > Packages [done] Messaging app cache [done] Editor cache and code cache [done] GPU and WebGPU caches [done] Adobe app caches [done] Shell historical past information [done] Launcher URL and filesystem cache > Virtualization [done] Not anything to scrub > Utility Enhance [done] Utility Enhance logs and caches > App Leftovers [done] Discovered energetic and put in apps [done] Wiped clean orphaned WebKit knowledge [done] Wiped clean orphaned HTTP cache knowledge [done] Wiped clean orphaned utility beef up information [done] Wiped clean orphaned desire information [done] Wiped clean leftover pieces, about 2.1MB [note] Discovered orphaned device services and products [blocked] Some privileged helper gear have been blocked by means of trail validation [done] Wiped clean detachable orphaned services and products, about 10.8MB > Apple Silicon Updates [done] Not anything to scrub > Instrument Backups and Firmware [done] Not anything to scrub > Time System [done] No incomplete backups discovered [done] Not anything to scrub > Huge Recordsdata [done] No huge pieces detected in commonplace places > Device Knowledge Clues [done] No commonplace Device Knowledge clues detected > Undertaking Artifacts [done] Not anything to scrub ====================================================================== Cleanup entire Area freed: 3.08GB | Pieces wiped clean: 952 | Classes: 46 Loose house now: 93Gi ======================================================================
That provides you with a greater sense of ways detailed Mole can get when it scans an actual Mac.
2. Leftovers From Apps You Already Got rid of
One difference that issues right here:
- Use
mo clearwhen the app has already been uninstalled and you need to take away leftover information. - Use
mo uninstallwhen the app is nonetheless put in and you need Mole to take away each the app and its similar information.
That cut up comes in handy as a result of many Mac customers finally end up with previous beef up information, caches, personal tastes, or release pieces lengthy after an app is long gone. When you have ever needed to clear up cussed leftovers by means of hand, this information on utterly uninstalling HMA VPN for your Mac presentations why correct removing issues.
3. Construct Artifacts in Developer Tasks
Mole additionally features a mo purge command for clearing challenge junk reminiscent of:
node_modulesgoal.constructconstructdistvenv
That is obviously aimed toward builders who acquire huge dependency and construct folders throughout a couple of initiatives.
Fresh initiatives are marked and left unselected by means of default, which is a wise security selection.
4. Previous Installer Recordsdata
The mo installer command scans for installer applications throughout places reminiscent of:
- Downloads
- Desktop
- Homebrew caches
- iCloud
That makes it helpful for cleansing up .dmg, .pkg, and different installer information other folks regularly disregard to take away.
The way to Use A few of Mole’s Maximum Helpful Instructions
Listed here are the instructions that topic maximum for on a regular basis use.
1. mo clear: Deep Cleanup
Use this when you need to take away commonplace junk and get better disk house.
mo clear
If you wish to preview what Mole would do first, use:
mo clear --dry-run
If you need the preview plus extra detailed logs:
mo clear --dry-run --debug
That is the most secure approach to get started as a result of Mole’s cleanup instructions can also be damaging.
The mo clear procedure might take some time, particularly on Macs with numerous caches, logs, browser knowledge, and developer information to scan.
2. mo uninstall: Take away an App and Its Leftovers
Use this when the app remains to be put in and you need a cleaner uninstall than dragging it to Trash.
mo uninstall
When Mole gets rid of an app, it could additionally clear similar information throughout spaces like:
- Utility Enhance
- Caches
- Personal tastes
- Logs
- WebKit garage
- Cookies
- Extensions
- Plugins
- Release daemons
That’s the AppCleaner-style a part of Mole.
You’ll additionally preview first:
mo uninstall --dry-run

3. mo analyze: In finding What Is Consuming Your Disk
Use this whilst you aren’t in a position to delete blindly and need a visible breakdown first.
mo analyze
mo analyze is the more secure direction for advert hoc cleanup as it strikes information to Trash thru Finder as a substitute of deleting them at once.
You’ll additionally analyze every other trail, together with exterior drives beneath /Volumes:
mo analyze /Volumes

And if you need output for scripting:
mo analyze --json ~/Paperwork
That is the DaisyDisk-style aspect of Mole.
4. mo standing: Watch Device Well being Reside
Use this when you need a terminal dashboard for mechanical device well being.
mo standing

The reside dashboard presentations:
- CPU utilization
- GPU utilization
- reminiscence utilization
- disk utilization and throughput
- community process
- energy and battery main points
- energetic processes
- a well being ranking
There may be JSON output beef up:
mo standing --json
If the output is piped, Mole too can transfer to JSON robotically.
That is the iStat Menus-style a part of the device.
mo optimize: Refresh Device Products and services and Caches
Use this when your Mac feels messy or gradual and you need Mole to run upkeep duties.
mo optimize

That upkeep cross comprises duties reminiscent of:
- rebuilding device databases and clearing caches
- resetting community services and products
- refreshing Finder and Dock
- cleansing diagnostic and crash logs
- getting rid of switch information and restarting the dynamic pager
- rebuilding release services and products and the Highlight index
Mole additionally helps a whitelist supervisor for exclusions:
mo optimize --whitelist
mo purge: Take away Previous Undertaking Construct Junk
If you’re a developer, this can also be one in all Mole’s maximum sensible instructions.
mo purge
To preview first:
mo purge --dry-run
To configure which challenge folders Mole scans:
mo purge --paths
When customized paths are configured, Mole scans most effective the ones places. Differently it makes use of defaults like ~/Tasks, ~/GitHub, and ~/dev.
mo installer: Blank Up Forgotten Installers
mo installer
This command is helping take away huge installer information that stay sitting in Downloads or different commonplace places.
Protection Notes You Will have to Know Prior to The use of Mole
Mole isn’t a toy. Instructions like clear, uninstall, purge, installer, and take away can also be damaging, so the use of --dry-run first is the correct transfer.
It additionally takes a safety-first method somewhat than a delete-everything method. One of the crucial protections constructed into it come with:
- trail validation sooner than deletion
- protected-directory regulations
- conservative cleanup barriers
- particular affirmation for higher-risk movements
- operation logging to
~/Library/Logs/mole/operations.log - conservative symlink dealing with
It additionally protects positive delicate spaces and classes, together with keychains, password managers, browser historical past and cookies, some VPN and proxy gear, some AI device knowledge, Time System knowledge throughout energetic backup, and secure device paths.
That doesn’t take away all threat, however it does display that Mole is designed to stick bounded somewhat than reckless.
Is Mole Price Attempting?
If you need a unfastened and open supply Mac upkeep device, Mole appears strangely bold.
Its leading enchantment is not only cleansing caches. It’s the truth that it combines 4 acquainted software classes into one:
- cleaner
- uninstaller
- disk analyzer
- reside device track
If that appears like precisely the stack you already use, Mole is price a glance.
The tradeoff is apparent too. Mole is terminal-based, so it’s higher fitted to customers who’re at ease studying instructions, previews, and dossier classes sooner than confirming damaging movements.
For wary customers, the most productive first step is modest:
- set up it with Homebrew
- run
mo clear --dry-run - take a look at
mo analyze - use
mo uninstallmost effective whilst you in fact need app and remnant removing
That provides you with a secure approach to perceive what Mole can do sooner than you let it clear anything else for actual.
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