Slackware HowTo

Clean build and package caches on Slackware

Recover space without blindly deleting files that may still be needed for rollback or rebuilds.

1. Goal

Recover space without blindly deleting files that may still be needed for rollback or rebuilds.

2. Files and components involved

/tmp
/var/cache
~/SlackBuilds
du
find

3. Operational flow

du -sh /tmp /var/cache ~/SlackBuilds
find old files by age and type
remove only what can be rebuilt

4. Operational verification

df -h
du -sh /tmp /var/cache ~/SlackBuilds
ls -lah ~/SlackBuilds
head

5. Practical notes

On Slackware, it is worth noting the package, version, source, and build output before updating or cleaning.

Writing down where a package comes from avoids a lot of confusion when you have to troubleshoot or rebuild a system months later.

Quick checklist

[ ] Backup or copy of the existing configuration completed
[ ] Files and commands updated as expected
[ ] Local test completed successfully
[ ] Logs or final output verified
[ ] Rollback procedure documented

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