https://github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium
A handy command-line utility written in GO that wipes out all the junk in your Chromium user profile & cache while keeping the important stuff. Save space and protect your privacy!
https://github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium
chromium-browser cleanup-tool firefox go privacy-tools
Last synced: 5 months ago
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A handy command-line utility written in GO that wipes out all the junk in your Chromium user profile & cache while keeping the important stuff. Save space and protect your privacy!
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium
- Owner: lordofscripts
- Created: 2024-08-24T00:03:06.000Z (almost 2 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-09-28T17:13:21.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-10-30T11:17:37.551Z (over 1 year ago)
- Topics: chromium-browser, cleanup-tool, firefox, go, privacy-tools
- Language: Go
- Homepage:
- Size: 788 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Lord of Scripts™ WipeChromium
[](https://badges.pufler.dev)
[](https://goreportcard.com/report/github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium)
[](https://github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium/blob/master/LICENSE)
[](https://coveralls.io/github/lordofscripts/wipechromium?branch=main)
[](https://badges.pufler.dev)
[](https://badges.pufler.dev)
[](https://badges.pufler.dev)
*WipeChromium* is a small utility written in Go (v1.22) whose purpose is doing
something I need to do often: wipe out my **Chromium** & **Firefox** browser
data while keeping only the important stuff such as **Bookmarks, Settings,
Extensions & Web Applications**
Usually you have to use menu options that move from time to time or are too
cumbersome to find. Additionally, people tend not to know or remember the
command-line options of each browser. With this application there are a few
simple options that allow you to regain greater control of your privacy and of
your disk space.
*Note:* Like all software, you agree to use it at your OWN risk. **I am NOT
responsible for any data loss**.
Use Cases:
* You want to *free up space* in your disk
* Multiple browser support
* You worry about *scripts* that may have remained after your browsing
* You are tired of big companies profitting from you with *tracking cookies*
* You want to *start afresh* without reinstalling everything.
* You want to protect your *privacy*
* You are worried about security and want to make sure any usernames/passwords
are removed from your profile.
* You want erase all the history and whatever else browser-makers track!
For example, on a test run my user profile directory diminished from 126 MB to
only 234 KB in size while keeping all important data.
## Requirements
Go Version: >= v1.18
## Installation
> `go get github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium`
> `go test ./...`
> `make`
But most certainly, as an end-user, you just want the actual program to clean up your
browser profiles. For that, head to the
* Go to the [Releases](https://github.com/lordofscripts/wipechromium/releases) page,
* Select the latest release,
* Therein, down in the **Assets** section download the binary for your OS & platform (Linux/Unix,
Windows, MacOS).
Once downloaded, assuming the filename is `wipechromium`, do:
* Linux: `chmod ugo+x wipechromium`
* Windows: `ren wipechromium wipechromum.exe`
* MacOS: `chmod 755 wipechromium`
Afterwards I suggest you first run the program with the `-scan` option.
## Usage
Before continuing keep in mind that regardless of your OS, you, as a user, will
run within the context of your *user account*, for example `lordofscripts` which
is on `/home/lordofscripts` on Unix/Linux, or `C:\Users\LordOfScripts\` on
Microsoft Windows, or `/Users/LordOfScripts` on MacOS.
When you use most modern browsers,such as Chromium-based browsers, within your
user account (i.e. `lordofscripts`), you can use the browser with different
*user profiles* such as `Profile 1`, `Profile Work`, `Profile Gaming`, although
most users just use their `Default` user profile. This software operats on
these **User Profiles**.
### Features
* At present it supports **Chromium** & **Firefox ESR** but it is designed to support extra browsers.
* It can `-scan` your system for browser data & cache directories.
* You can wipe out your entire cache,
* You can wipe out most of your user profile data except...,
* It keeps your precious data: Settings, Web applications, File systems, Bookmarks & Extensions.
* You can wipe the cache & data in one go, or one or the other.
#### Known Limitations
Although care has been taken to support file operations for Linux/Unix, MacOS
and Windows, I have only tested it with Linux/Unix because that's all I have..
### Useful combinations
If you think there is a malfunction of some kind, you can add the `-log` flag
to any of the command variations mentioned below. Else it is better to keep
logging off (default). But In general:
> `wipechromium [-browser Chromium][-log] {-scan|-cache|-profile} {-name NAME}`
Notice that the `-browser` option takes as parameter the browser type. Currently
it defaults to Chromium because it's the only one supported at the moment. As
such, you can omit this option in your command-line for now.
#### Get Help
Gives you a comprehensive guide of all command-line options:
> `wipechromium -help`
#### Scan for browsers
Scans your home directory for data and/or cache of supported browsers:
> `wipechromium -scan`
I actually **recommend** that you run with this option the first time before
trying anything else. If it says it detected Chromium (or other browser's) data,
it will tell you. If it doesn't detect it there is no purpose in running the
other commands.
#### Clear Profile's Cache
Let's say your gaming profile is `Dart Vader` and that it has grown big. Or you
just want to feel more secure:
> `wipechromium -browser Chromium -name "Dart Vader" -cache`
This command will wipe out the entire Cache for the named user profile.
#### Clear Profile's User Data
Let's say your daily profile is `Profile X` and every now and then (you should!)
you like to clean it up in case there are possible malware scripts, or those
pesky tracking cookies from greedy companies that want to abuse your privacy.
But wait a minute! you have bookmarks of useful websites right? maybe you
installed some browser extensions, or perhaps you installed one of those
**Progressive Web Applications** and you certainly don't want to reinstall those
things. And especially PGA's have their own File System in case the Cloud is not
available. You don't want to lose those! Well, I don't, and this script takes
care of keeping that data intact while wiping out the rest in that profile.
After all, next time you fire your browser under that profile, it will recreate
them and you start afresh.)
> `wipechromium -browser Chromium -name "Profile X" -profile`
This command will wipe out the entire Cache for the named user profile.
#### Clear Both User Profile Data & Cache
This option is equivalent to using both `-cache` and `-profile` together. Like
this:
> `wipechromium -browser Chromium -name "Profile X" -cache -profile`
However, since usually you would want to do both, the internal logic enables
*both* if you don't set any; therefore, it is equivalent to this:
> `wipechromium -browser Chromium -name "Profile X"`
which will clean up both the profile data and the profile cache in one run.
### Problems?
* As stated, after installation it is advised to use the `-scan` option.
* If scans says all is good but you still doubt, run it with the `-dry` option,
it will tell you what it would have DELETED without actually doing it!
* Error? Well, run it with the `-log` option and open a discussion.
##### Other Credits
Gopher's shield illustration by [dekob2](https://icons8.com/illustrations/author/A7iGlOUD5Neq) from [Ouch! Illustrations](https://icons8.com/illustrations).
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