grunt-contrib-clean

What is grunt-contrib-clean?

The grunt-contrib-clean package is a Grunt plugin used to clean files and directories. It is commonly used to delete files and folders as part of a build process, ensuring that old or unnecessary files do not clutter the project workspace.

What are grunt-contrib-clean's main functionalities?

Clean specific files

This feature allows you to clean specific files. In this example, all JavaScript files in the 'dist' directory will be deleted.

{
  "clean": {
    "build": ["dist/*.js"]
  }
}

Clean specific directories

This feature allows you to clean specific directories. In this example, the entire 'dist' directory will be deleted.

{
  "clean": {
    "build": ["dist/"]
  }
}

Clean multiple paths

This feature allows you to clean multiple paths. In this example, both the 'dist' and 'tmp' directories will be deleted.

{
  "clean": {
    "build": ["dist/", "tmp/"]
  }
}

Force option

This feature allows you to use the 'force' option to delete files outside the current working directory. In this example, the directory at '/path/to/some/dir' will be deleted.

{
  "clean": {
    "options": {
      "force": true
    },
    "build": ["/path/to/some/dir"]
  }
}

Other packages similar to grunt-contrib-clean

rimraf

Rimraf is a deep deletion module for Node.js, similar to the Unix command 'rm -rf'. It is often used to delete files and directories recursively and is known for its simplicity and effectiveness. Unlike grunt-contrib-clean, rimraf is not a Grunt plugin and can be used independently in any Node.js project.

del

Del is a Node.js module used for deleting files and directories. It is a Promise-based alternative to rimraf and provides a more modern API. Del can be used in any Node.js project and is not tied to Grunt, making it more flexible for various build systems.

clean-webpack-plugin

Clean Webpack Plugin is a plugin for Webpack that removes/cleans the build folder(s) before building. It is specifically designed to work with Webpack, unlike grunt-contrib-clean, which is designed for Grunt. This makes it a better choice for projects using Webpack as their build tool.

README

grunt-contrib-clean

Clear files and folders (part of the grunt-contrib collection). Submitted by Tim Branyen.

Getting Started

Install this grunt plugin next to your project's grunt.js gruntfile with: npm install grunt-contrib-clean

Then add this line to your project's grunt.js gruntfile:

grunt.loadNpmTasks('grunt-contrib-clean');

Overview

Inside your grunt.js file, add a section named clean.

Due to the destructive nature of this task, always be cautious of the paths you clean.

Config Examples

There are three formats you can use to run this task.

Short

clean: ["path/to/dir/one", "path/to/dir/two"]

Medium (specific targets with global options)

clean: {
  build: ["path/to/dir/one", "path/to/dir/two"],
  release: ["path/to/another/dir/one", "path/to/another/dir/two"]
},

Long (specific targets with per target options)

clean: {
  build: {
    src: ["path/to/dir/one", "path/to/dir/two"]
  }
}

Parameters

src string

This defines what paths this task will clean recursively (supports grunt.template and minimatch).

Release History

• 2012/08/23 - v0.3.0 - Options no longer accepted from global config key.
• 2012/08/10 - v0.2.0 - Refactored from grunt-contrib into individual repo.