How to find what node_modules is using on your Mac

Every JavaScript project keeps its own node_modules folder, and old projects keep theirs forever. A dozen forgotten projects can quietly use tens of gigabytes.

See the size of one project

du -sh node_modules

Find them all

This lists every node_modules folder under your Projects folder with its size. Change the path to wherever you keep code. The -prune stops it from counting folders nested inside each other.

find ~/Projects -name node_modules -type d -prune -exec du -sh {} + | sort -hr | head -20

A note on pnpm

If you use pnpm, the packages are stored once in a shared store and linked into each project. A project’s node_modules can look large without costing that much extra space, and removing it frees less than the number suggests. To clean up the shared store itself:

pnpm store prune

Is it safe to remove?

Removing node_modules does not touch your code. Running npm install or pnpm install in that project brings it back, using your lockfile so you get the same versions.

A good rule: remove it for projects you have not opened in months, and keep it for ones you are working on this week.

Review them with Cachelift

Cachelift lists the node_modules folders it finds across your Mac, with their sizes and when each project was last worked on. It treats them as review-first, so they are never selected for you. You choose which ones to move to the Trash.