Claude Code Cache
Claude Code stores temporary download and plugin cache data under ~/.claude/cache and ~/.claude/plugins/cache so it does not need to repeatedly fetch package archives, extracted plugin assets, and other transient installation files. Those caches speed up plugin installs, updates, and repeated downloads, but stale or partially written files can leave Claude Code reusing bad package contents or consuming far more disk than expected. Kudu removes only these temporary cache directories, while leaving projects, checkpoints, conversation history, configuration, plugins, backups, and shell snapshots untouched.
Why clean Claude Code Cache?
- A truncated or corrupted cached plugin package can make installs fail repeatedly with the same checksum or extraction error until the bad archive is removed
- Stale plugin cache contents after an update can cause Claude Code to keep reinstalling an older build, which shows up as version mismatches or missing new plugin features
- Interrupted downloads leave partial package files in ~/.claude/cache, leading to retry loops, failed updates, or plugins that never finish installing
- Old cached archives and extracted temporary assets accumulate over time and can consume hundreds of megabytes or more, which users notice as unexplained growth in the .claude folder
- If a plugin repository or release artifact changes upstream, Claude Code may keep reusing an outdated cached copy, causing startup warnings or plugin load failures until the cache is refreshed
- Repeated install and update cycles can leave many redundant package files behind, so clearing the cache often resolves slow plugin setup caused by Claude Code scanning through unnecessary old artifacts
Cache paths Kudu targets
Windows
~/.claude/cache |
~/.claude/plugins/cache |
Common questions about Claude Code Cache
Download Kudu and reclaim your disk space.
Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. No account required, no feature gates, no telemetry without consent. All cleaning targets are open source and community-auditable.