Efficiently Clearing Derived Data in Xcode 8 and Beyond

Efficiently Clearing Derived Data in Xcode 8 and Beyond

28 February 2025 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Xcode

Managing derived data in Xcode is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and disk space usage. With the removal of the Projects page in Xcode 8, users often struggle to find a streamlined approach to clear derived data. This guide provides effective methods to clean derived data, ensuring your development environment remains efficient.

Method 1: Using Xcode Interface

For a straightforward approach, Xcode provides built-in options to manage derived data:

  • Open Xcode and navigate to File > Workspace Settings if you’re in a workspace, or File > Project Settings for a regular project.
  • Locate the Derived Data section, and click the small grey arrow next to the path.
  • Select your project folder and delete it to clear the derived data.

This method is compatible with Xcode versions 11 through 15, ensuring long-term usability.

Method 2: Terminal Command

If you prefer using the terminal, the following command offers a quick solution:

rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData

Executing this command in your terminal will remove all derived data. This is particularly useful for users who have not altered the default directory for derived data storage.

Method 3: Keyboard Shortcut

For those who favor shortcuts, Xcode offers a quick key combination:

  • Press Shift + Alt + Command ⌘ + K to clean the build folder for your project.
  • This action will prompt you to confirm the deletion of products and intermediate files in the build folder.

While this method mainly focuses on the build folder, it can be sufficient for resolving many build-related issues.

Additional Resources

For more detailed guides on managing Xcode projects, consider exploring our related articles:

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