The capabilities of modern software development have reached unimaginable levels. Programmers who choose to work on MacBooks feel it more acutely than anyone else: their devices last for over 12 hours, support the most vigorous multitasking, and allow them to use whatever tools they need to get things done.
It sounds too good to be true, and unfortunately, there are indeed drawbacks that most Mac owners face sooner or later. The issue of programming tools taking up Mac storage is getting worse on a constant basis, so it’s important to solve it and explain what causes it in the first place.
The Biggest Suspects That Eat Your Mac Storage
Before exploring the root of the problem and determining which programming tools consume most of your Mac storage, let’s focus on something more positive. A solution exists, so you don’t need to worry about getting stuck and your work taking a hit. If you have your Mac storage full, try this guide to understand how to free up space and get your device back in shape. It’s easier than you might think, and it won’t take you more than ten minutes. After this, check the information below to learn why there is no space left on device Mac and how to avoid this situation in the future.
Xcode
Apple’s Xcode is one of the most storage-hungry programming tools you’ll ever encounter in your life. It’s large and heavy by itself, but real problems begin when it starts generating a ton of support files. This is what happens:
- DerivedData. Every time you build an app, Xcode creates temporary files to appease you. It speeds up your future builds, but a couple of projects like this, and your storage will end up full to the point of bursting.
- Archives. Whenever you archive a build, Xcode saves a copy inside your Mac. You need to delete them manually; otherwise, they’ll keep sitting there forever, cluttering your storage.
- Device support files. It’s natural for programmers to connect iPhones or iPods to their Mac. The problem is, Xcode will download debug symbols for that particular iOS version, and before you know it, you have 10 GB more taken up.
Just Xcode-related files can eat 50 GB or more of your storage, so pay close attention to them.
Package Managers
Among all the developer tools using too much disk space, it’s impossible not to mention package managers. They are essential for work, yes, but they can bloat your storage to a shocking degree.
- JavaScript projects tend to include massive directories. One project weighs about 1 GB.
- Homebrew is another tool that keeps all the old versions of formulas you’ve installed. If you fail to clean it up, the cluttered space will grow to include 5-8 GB.
- Python developers tend to create virtual environments to test their projects. This takes even more storage space.
If a duplication incident happens, then your Mac might decide to rebel altogether because it’ll have no space left to breathe.
Machine Learning and AI Tools
The adoption of AI tools for programming has reached revenue of over 9 billion dollars lately. The problem is, this kind of work comes with huge datasets and pre-trained models, and all of them are not exactly light.
- Training data. When you train a model, it leaves certain checkpoints of progress. They can get up to several GB in size.
- Libraries and frameworks. Tools like TensorFlow, PyTorch, or CUDA are massive software packages with math libraries, drivers, etc.
- Session caches. As you can probably imagine, this kind of resource-intensive work results in a ton of temporary data.
Imagine that you let each of these points accumulate data on your Mac. Soon, every process will start lagging.
Understand the Problem to Enjoy Higher Productivity
To free up storage on Mac for developers, all they have to do is keep their potential enemies in sight and react before a problem hits a ceiling. Perform regular audits; clear DerivedData, as this is where a lot of clutter is sitting.
Programming tools are helpful, but having Mac storage full from the development of apps is a constant repercussion of this efficiency. Get Mac cleaners to take care of these issues; check what’s taking up space regularly, and your work will stay as smooth as it was in your first month using a Mac.
Bio
Jason Graham is a programmer who bought his first Mac as soon as he made enough money to afford it. He was still a teen back then, and he’s convinced that Mac is what helped him become the expert he is today. That’s why he’s readily sharing his insights on MacBooks: the good and the bad, and everything in between.