Xcode 4 "Clean" vs. "Clean Build Folder"
Solution 1
Clean…
cleans the folders for the current selected target.
Clean Build Folder…
cleans the folders for all the targets.
Solution 2
If you select Clean
from the Product menu, XCode will delete the files inside every folder in the Build folder, if you select Clean Build Folder
it will delete the entire Build folder.
After Clean
command:
After Clean Build Folder
command:
I think you should select Clean Build Folder
when you want to build a binary that you want to release to the AppStore, when you messed up with your project or when your app doesn't work for an "unknown" reason, otherwise use Clean
.
I hope I've answered your question :D
Solution 3
As of Xcode 10, 'Clean' has effectively disappeared. Apple says here:
"The new build system uses the "clean build folder" behavior. The legacy "clean" behavior is not supported".
Solution 4
If you select "Clean", Xcode will delete files inside every folder(e.g., Products, Intermediates) in the Build folder, for the current target. Files for other targets remain.
If you select "Clean Build Folder", Xcode will delete the entire Build Folder, so nothing left.
In most cases "Clean" will work for "unknown" reasons, but you still have to "Clean the Build Folder" because Xcode won't delete files in the include folder inside Products folder.
epologee
Independent software engineer, clean coder, spare-time inventor, teacher, math tutor, snow boarder and IKO certified kite surf instructor. @epologee
Updated on June 08, 2020Comments
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epologee almost 4 years
You come at a certain point in the development of every app that what you see in the simulator does not match what you think should happen. Mostly these are human errors -- or at least they are in most of my cases ;-) -- but sometimes Xcode has just 'lost track', or so it seems. I've learnt that the
Clean
(Shift+Cmd+K) andClean Build Folder…
(Option+Shift+Command+K) menu options can show the difference between your error or Xcode's.My question though is:
What does the
Clean
command do or not do, which leaves a reason forClean Build Folder…
to exist? When should I pick one over the other, why not just always clean the whole folder? -
Michael Forrest about 11 yearsThis is ambiguous with that apostrophe in "all the target's folders". Do you mean "the folders for all targets or are there some other folders associated with the selected target?
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jowie over 10 yearsSorry to be skeptical, but this seems odd. Are you saying the only difference between the two is that one deletes the folders and the other keeps the folders but deletes all the contents? What would be the difference in having four empty folders? Yet there is a noticeable difference between cleaning and sometimes having to clean build folders...
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Aluminum over 10 yearsYes, that's the only difference. Personally I use "Clean" before building an app for the iOS Simulator or when I have strange problems with code and/or XCode and "Clean Build Folder" when I want to publish an app to the App Store or when I want to be sure that my app is build from the ground up with no caches.
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Nicolas Miari over 10 yearsIs it just me, or 'Clean Build Folder' is faster than 'Clean'?
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Basil Bourque over 9 yearsThis answer is not complete.
Clean Build Folder
solves problems in projects with only a single target. -
DawnSong over 6 yearsSomething has changed for Xcode 8,
Build
folder is kept afterClean Build Folder...
. Obviously,Clean Build Folder...
is more complete thanClean
. However, I think deletion of~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/xxx-ABCD
folder is needed in some case such as your Xcode cannot work properly, where xxx is the name of your project or workspace. -
Cacoon almost 6 yearsAlways love when people come back to an old question and answer thats popular and make a very clear example and explanation