Developer Tools Cache
macOS Developer Tools cache stores temporary data used by Apple’s development toolchain, including downloaded documentation assets, simulator support files, device pairing records, indexing artifacts, and other transient cache content under com.apple.DeveloperTools. These files speed up Xcode-related tasks such as symbol lookup, simulator launches, device communication, and documentation browsing, but they can become stale after Xcode updates, SDK changes, or interrupted downloads. Kudu removes only this disposable cache data so corrupted or outdated developer tool caches can be rebuilt without affecting projects, source code, signing identities, accounts, or preferences.
Why clean Developer Tools Cache?
- Stale simulator support downloads after an Xcode or SDK update can cause simulator runtimes to fail validation, leaving you with launch errors or simulators that hang at boot
- Corrupted documentation and symbol cache files can make Quick Help, symbol lookup, or API documentation panes load slowly, show missing entries, or stay blank
- Old device support and pairing cache data can interfere with iPhone or iPad detection, causing repeated trust prompts, failed mounting, or devices that appear and disappear in Xcode
- Interrupted cache writes during a tool update can leave partial artifacts behind, which shows up as repeated re-downloading, failed installs, or developer tools asking for the same components again
- Accumulated indexing and metadata cache files can grow large over time, consuming SSD space and making Xcode-related background tasks feel unusually busy after launches
- Outdated cached assets tied to a previous toolchain version can cause mismatches between installed components and cached metadata, leading to unexpected warnings, missing runtime content, or slow first use while caches rebuild
Cache paths Kudu targets
macOS
~/Library/Caches/com.apple.DeveloperTools |
Common questions about Developer Tools 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.