Is it safe to delete Deno cache folder (DENO_DIR)?
Deno's folder for downloaded modules and compiled code, which also holds data Deno programs save.
Review first
It's your own data, or hard to recreate. Decide item by item.
~/
What it is
Deno keeps the modules it downloads and the code it compiles here. The same folder also holds data that programs save with localStorage or Deno KV when they don't choose another location, and the history of Deno's interactive shell. Downloads and compiled code are recreated as needed, but saved data isn't. The downloaded modules are also listed on their own, so you can remove only those.
If it's removed
Data Deno programs saved here with localStorage or Deno KV is removed, along with the shell history, until you restore it from the Trash. Deno downloads modules again the next time a program needs them.
How it's removed
Moved to the Trash, where you can restore it.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it. Removing it is Pro, after a review sheet that lists every move and command. It's never checked for you: it waits for your choice.
Sources
- docs.deno.com/runtime/reference/cli/clean
- docs.deno.com/runtime/reference/cli/info
- docs.deno.com/api/deno/~/Deno.openKv
- github.com/denoland/deno/blob/main/libs/resolver/cache/deno_dir.rs
Last checked on 26 Sep 2026. Every entry is written and checked by hand; the app and the command-line tool use the same words.