04_clean_artifacts_skill

Overview

This skill removes ignored build artifacts (bin, obj, node_modules) to reclaim disk space and resolve ghost build errors. It performs a safe, workspace-wide cleanup that respects .gitignore and avoids removing source files. The operation supports dry-run mode and reports the deleted paths and space reclaimed.

How this skill works

The skill first prefers a git-based safe removal using git clean -fdX when the repository is available. If git is not usable, it falls back to deleting only explicit target folders (default: bin, obj, node_modules) and never removes source code files. It logs every candidate path, supports a dry run for review, and summarizes reclaimed space after completion.

When to use it

• After switching branches or pulling large merges to remove stale build outputs
• When encountering inexplicable build errors that persist after rebuilds
• To free disk space in developer workspaces or CI agents
• Before creating a clean snapshot or packaging a project
• As part of a recovery step when CI jobs report inconsistent artifacts

Best practices

• Run with --dry-run first to verify what will be deleted
• Prefer running inside a git repository so git clean -fdX can be used safely
• Limit targets to known build folders; avoid adding generic patterns
• Review console logs immediately after execution to confirm expected deletions
• Automate in CI only when you can restore or reproduce important artifacts from source

Example use cases

• Developer runs clean artifacts after switching feature branches to remove old bin/obj files that cause linker errors
• CI job executes the skill on a fresh agent to ensure no leftover node_modules distort dependency resolution
• Workspace maintenance task reclaims tens of GBs from cached build outputs before a disk quota warning
• Troubleshooting step: run dry-run to list stale folders before committing to deletion