Clean your Workspace!

node_modules

If you have ever worked with NodeJS before you know well how annoying the node_modules folders can get over time.
If you download dependencies for a NodeJS project the files of these modules are stored in a node_modules folder. If you stop working on a project, you often forget to delete the folder. You should do that, because it can be generated from your package.json file and takes up a lot of space on your file system if you work on larger projects.

don’t push generateables to github

To prevent git from adding your node_modules folder to the staging area you should add a .gitignore to your projects root folder. Create one at toptal.com.
To create one in every working dir you need one a vsc-snipped could be useful, so that you don’t have to copy it every time from another project. You can download some snippets i created here: vsc-code-snippets.vercel.app.

Example .gitignore:

## Windows ###
# src: https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore/api/windows

# Windows thumbnail cache files
**/Thumbs.db
**/Thumbs.db:encryptable
**/ehthumbs.db
**/ehthumbs_vista.db

# Dump file
**/*.stackdump

# Folder config file
**/[Dd]esktop.ini

# Recycle Bin used on file shares
**/$RECYCLE.BIN/

# Windows Installer files
**/*.cab
**/*.msi
**/*.msix
**/*.msm
**/*.msp

# Windows shortcuts
**/*.lnk

### Linux ###
# src: https://www.toptal.com/developers/gitignore/api/linux
**/*~

# temporary files which can be created if a process still has a handle open of a deleted file
**/*.fuse_hidden*

# KDE directory preferences
**/*.directory

# Linux trash folder which might appear on any partition or disk
**/*.Trash-*

# .nfs files are created when an open file is removed but is still being accessed
**/*.nfs*

### Dev ###
**/*.idea
**/*.vscode
**/*.code-workspace
**/*.vercel
**/*node_modules
**/*vendor

# Env
**/*.env*
**/*.pem

# Framework Builds
**/build

deleting files on your system

If you just want to delete some files and folders in your project before sending it to somebody use a script to do it for you.

Example for Windows:

@echo off

set "folder=."

echo deleting .pem and .env files in root (%folder%)
del /s /q "%folder%*.pem"
del /s /q "%folder%.env"

set folder=frontend
echo folder=%folder%

echo deleting .vercel
rd /s /q "%folder%.vercel"

echo deleting .svelte-kit
rd /s /q "%folder%.svelte-kit"

echo deleting node_modules
rd /s /q "%folder%\node_modules"

set folder=backend
echo folder=%folder%

echo deleting vendor
rd /s /q "%folder%endor"

pause

Example for Linux:

#!/bin/bash

folder="root (.)"

echo deleting .pem and .env files
del /s /q ".*.pem"
del /s /q "..env"

folder="frontend"
echo folder=$folder

echo deleting .vercel
rm -rf "$folder/.vercel"

echo deleting .svelte-kit
rm -rf "$folder/.svelte-kit"

echo deleting node_modules
rm -rf "$folder/node_modules"

folder="backend"
echo folder=$folder

echo deleting vendor
rm -rf "$folder/vendor"

read -p "Press Enter to exit..."

If you forgot to delete a lot of node_modules folders on your system you could use npx npkill to view them all and delete them or write a script to do it.

Example for Windows:

@echo off

setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

for /r %%d in (node_modules) do (
    rd /s /q "%%d"
    echo deleted "%%d"
)

pause

Example for Linux:

#!/bin/bash
find . -name "node_modules" 
-type d -prune -exec rm -rf '{}' ;

read -p "Press Enter to exit..."

deleting temporary files on your system

Example for Windows:

@echo off

REM setting temp path
set tmp_dir=%localappdata%Temp

REM changing to temp dir
cd /d %tmp_dir%

REM deleting temporary files and directories
del /q /f /s *
for /d %%x in (*) do rmdir /s /q "%%x"

pause

Example for Linux:

#!/bin/bash

# changing to temp dir
cd /tmp

# deleting temporary files and directories
rm -rf *

read -p "Press Enter to exit..."