pyclean |latest-version|

|checks-status| |tests-status| |scrutinizer| |codacy| |metabob| |python-support| |license|

Worried about .pyc files and __pycache__ directories? Fear not! Pyclean is here to help. Finally the single-command clean up for Python bytecode files in your favorite directories. On any platform.

|video|

Presented at PyConX_, Firenze 2019.

.. |latest-version| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/pyclean.svg :target: https://pypi.org/project/pyclean :alt: Latest version on PyPI .. |checks-status| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/workflow/status/bittner/pyclean/Checks/main?label=Checks&logo=github :target: https://github.com/bittner/pyclean/actions/workflows/check.yml :alt: GitHub Workflow Status .. |tests-status| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/workflow/status/bittner/pyclean/Tests/main?label=Tests&logo=github :target: https://github.com/bittner/pyclean/actions/workflows/test.yml :alt: GitHub Workflow Status .. |scrutinizer| image:: https://img.shields.io/scrutinizer/build/g/bittner/pyclean/main?logo=scrutinizer&label=%22 :target: https://scrutinizer-ci.com/g/bittner/pyclean/ :alt: Scrutinizer .. |codacy| image:: https://img.shields.io/codacy/grade/69de1364a09f41b399f95afe901826eb/main.svg?logo=codacy&label=%22 :target: https://app.codacy.com/gh/bittner/pyclean/dashboard :alt: Code health .. |metabob| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/⦿-✓-59bfbf.svg?logo=data%3Aimage%2Fpng%3Bbase64%2CiVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAADIAAAA8CAMAAAAT6xnzAAAAz1BMVEUAAAAAAAD%2F%2F%2F%2BPj4%2BqqqpERET6%2BvqJiYn09PTr6%2BuCgoLS0tJqampQUFAkJCQKCgrg4ODFxcVycnJiYmLLy8tnZ2dMTEw7Ozs2NjalpaWfn593d3daWlpWVlZUVFQsLCwcHBwODg7w8PDc3NzDw8O8vLw%2FPz8fHx8ZGRn39%2Ffm5ubY2NjV1dXPz8%2FIyMi0tLSZmZmFhYUyMjIwMDDj4%2BOUlJRtbW1ISEgiIiISEhLt7e3AwMCvr6%2BdnZ2Hh4ddXV0qKioUFBStra1%2Bfn56enphvz08AAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAArJJREFUSMfVlteWqjAARXPoVaqIvTs69u7c6eX%2Fv%2BkiIkME29Nddz%2BQFcgmyeIkgfz39O4VSktUyTk4VrRtUSxxv3dmWh6ATrJQ%2FF4DRz77u4eA%2FicOfGcIDi5ipwQRV2ieGmVcZUYbeVyHpZXC3cocN7CjlApuwEsaXdzAkiTRcJ3mK6WwuA5P7u6lRCs8riPSSg6XyBW7OlCjlV3ybWO51TLdoo0DxmuLYYZP2NJK%2FfeNLnNEUjlNz0%2FlsLI5XWF6rHSYFMIguLygTivfiLD3TaSkoLKOozxL6mnE3hBhMR2n4G%2FZ9rEH0YDRMFCZGLFDB8ZYlQFfbwLFg8KC77bbJtfgm8BH1nKplVGzLHfIAV97Ywi9vQF8120iICHUeh9RjqAPNYBXXeAxUGaY%2FISJlBVKoeKihs9ykoiSOZ54udECezoTSqHiIiHEnSCkYB4ejsf0svQT2ZAO2RmqeOLf7QpMDgHOICzymeteLoZNBA6sIAhucJ3y9bc%2Fkk4rtVjoYSZwNW%2FekgqHHGj4EoKiVcYHpXix8lLFi8AIzKMGZ7BX%2FrzjvTRd%2B3gtUnOxY4VbFVBdF5Ul%2BMcomxwPoGIJXfq79OPgM7KSA5Cby7%2BplM195RnwsrYkPkikPFJHoUDjAmWSAEfUuMlANttqx7I6I7O1r1uAllTi2ZSZcNIW6%2FD1hoGQvp%2BfSkw3UtIBGAUjE5Eip66jgaX70SVzAWQ4DWpboqaz0XGKEZU%2FKSXNU90TufGjhQMLcn7361eNnqZwanvA7Jki4sJR%2BfC8kgTmyGp7RplRo%2FfWVpQYk1sk9lgaPzWTqj13dvTJR6PcdFjS3LT533tipH9gmncrpIfLOCSNh0v0SRbbC0aDI5nUcA6dnIOtIIPPDbnIW%2BHBSA6ooJTIDRSVyqJeX1aVOflX%2FAUMXjWVQWa95AAAAABJRU5ErkJggg%3D%3D :target: https://metabob.com/github/bittner/pyclean :alt: Visualizer .. |python-support| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/pyversions/pyclean.svg :target: https://pypi.org/project/pyclean :alt: Python versions .. |license| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/l/pyclean.svg :target: https://github.com/bittner/pyclean/blob/main/LICENSE :alt: Software license .. |video| image:: https://asciinema.org/a/g8Q2ljghA7W4RD9cb3Xz100Tl.svg :target: https://asciinema.org/a/g8Q2ljghA7W4RD9cb3Xz100Tl :alt: PyClean and its future .. _Presented at PyConX: https://slides.com/bittner/pyconx-pyclean/

Wait! What is bytecode?

Bytecode is opcodes for the Python Virtual Machine_. -- Confused?

If you want to deep-dive into the topic watch the 2013 EuroPython talk "All Singing All Dancing Python Bytecode" by Larry Hastings. Otherwise James Bennett's "Introduction to Python bytecode" should provide you with just the sound understanding of what it is all about.

.. Python Virtual Machine: https://www.ics.uci.edu/~brgallar/week9_3.html .. "All Singing All Dancing Python Bytecode": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IzXcjHs-P8 .. _"Introduction to Python bytecode": https://opensource.com/article/18/4/introduction-python-bytecode

Why not simply use rm **/*.pyc or find -name '*.py?' -delete?

If you're happy with rm or find, go for it! When I was looking for a simple, concise solution for everybody_ I figured people are struggling, and simple things are more complicated than they appear at first sight.

Also, there is a pyclean command (and its siblings) on Debian. And, well, only on Debian as it turns out. Not that I'm a big fan of Mircosoft Windos, but why ignore the biggest Python population on this planet? (As if they weren't punished enough already using this unfree piece of software!)

.. _looking for a simple, concise solution for everybody: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/785519/how-do-i-remove-all-pyc-files-from-a-project

Debian

Just for reference, the Python scripts Debian ships with its python-minimal and python3-minimal packages can be found at:

• pyclean: salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python-defaults <https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python-defaults/blob/master/pyclean>__
• py3clean: salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3-defaults <https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3-defaults/blob/master/py3clean>__
• pypyclean: salsa.debian.org/debian/pypy <https://salsa.debian.org/debian/pypy/blob/debian/debian/scripts/pypyclean>__

.. _python-minimal: https://packages.debian.org/stable/python-minimal .. _python3-minimal: https://packages.debian.org/stable/python3-minimal

Installation

.. code:: console

$ pip install pyclean

Usage

.. code:: console

$ pyclean --help

If you want to explicitly operate the Debian-specific implementation:

.. code:: console

$ py2clean --help
$ py3clean --help
$ pypyclean --help

Clean up all bytecode in the current directory tree, and explain verbosely:

.. code:: console

$ pyclean -v .

Clean up all bytecode for a Debian package: (may require root permissions)

.. code:: console

$ pyclean -p python3-keyring --legacy

Use pyclean with Tox

If you want to avoid installing pyclean you can add it to your tox.ini file as follows:

.. code:: ini

[testenv:clean]
skip_install = true
deps = pyclean
commands = pyclean {posargs:.}

You'll then be able to run it with Tox_ like this:

.. code:: console

$ tox -e clean

.. _Tox: https://tox.readthedocs.io/

Development

If you want to help out please see our contribution guide_.

.. _contribution guide: https://github.com/bittner/pyclean/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md

Roadmap (for v3.0.0)

#. Replace original Debian scripts (current --legacy) by a single, pure Python, Python 3-only code base that serves all target platforms. #. Reduce the package dependencies to an absolute minimum for maximum portability. #. Add additional CLI options to delete debris from builds, testing and packaging (build/, .cache/, dist/, .pytest_cache/, .tox/ and free-form targets).