# Disk Census

> Disk Census is a native macOS app that scans a Mac's disk, shows what uses the space, and frees what is safe to free: caches, build output, old app data, duplicates, large forgotten files and AI agents' leftovers. Scanning is read-only; deleting is permanent and happens only when a person approves it or asks for it. Its engine also ships inside the app as the `census` command line, for scripts and AI agents.

This file is for AI agents and LLMs. Disk Census is made by Moiz, in London.

- Areas: Overview, Large Files, Apps (uninstall with leftovers), DevTools, AI Agents, Duplicates, Optimize (maintenance tasks), Empty Trash, plus a widget and a low-space monitor.
- Developer-aware: knows the caches and build output of Xcode, Homebrew, npm, pnpm, Yarn, Cargo, Go, Python and more, and which rebuild themselves.
- Never surprise-deletes: safe items go only when the person asks to clean, everything else only when they pick it, and nothing goes to the Trash.
- `census` ships inside the app, not as a separate download. People turn it on in their shell from the app's CLI and Agents tab.
- Runs on macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
- A one-time purchase: a lifetime license for up to 3 Macs. Each Mac checks in online at least once every 60 days. Refunds within 14 days if it isn't as described.
- Files and scan results never leave the Mac.
- Support: support@diskcensus.com, answered within 48 hours.

## Documentation

- [Full description](https://diskcensus.com/llms-full.txt): Every feature, who makes Disk Census, how deletion works, the rules for AI agents using `census`, requirements, licensing, pricing, privacy and common questions, in one Markdown file
- [Docs index](https://diskcensus.com/docs.md): Every page of the `census` command line and AI agents docs, as Markdown. Add `.md` to any /docs page's URL, or send `Accept: text/markdown`, to get its Markdown
- [The census command line](https://diskcensus.com/docs/cli.md): What `census` does, how to turn it on, and every command with whether it only reads or deletes
- [JSON output](https://diskcensus.com/docs/cli/json.md): The `--json` envelope every command prints, statuses, paths, sizes and progress events
- [Exit codes and errors](https://diskcensus.com/docs/cli/errors.md): Every exit code and error code, and what to do about each
- [Rules for agents](https://diskcensus.com/docs/agents/rules.md): What an AI agent may run, what needs the person's yes, and what it must never do when it frees disk space with `census`
- [The workflow](https://diskcensus.com/docs/agents/workflow.md): Step by step for each request: clean junk, review, duplicates, large files, uninstall, maintenance and the Trash
- [census serve](https://diskcensus.com/docs/agents/serve.md): The JSON-lines protocol the app uses to talk to the engine, for any program

## Website

- [Disk Census](https://diskcensus.com/): What the app does, the AI agents it works with, pricing and common questions
- [Pricing](https://diskcensus.com/pricing.md): The current launch price, the price ladder, what one purchase covers, and what 13 other Mac storage apps cost and cover, in one table
- [Questions](https://diskcensus.com/#faq): Short answers on safety, compatibility, developer files and agents

## Comparisons

Disk Census against other Mac storage apps, one page per app. Each page lists what only Disk Census does, a side-by-side table, both prices, and when the other app is the better pick, with every fact about the other app linked to its own site and dated. The links below are the Markdown versions; drop `.md` for the web page.

- [Disk Census vs DaisyDisk](https://diskcensus.com/compare/daisydisk.md): A map of your disk, or a cleanup that knows what's safe
- [Disk Census vs CleanMyMac](https://diskcensus.com/compare/cleanmymac.md): Pay once and keep every version, with developer files covered
- [Disk Census vs Mole](https://diskcensus.com/compare/mole.md): One app and CLI under one license, with agent history kept
- [Disk Census vs MangoDisk](https://diskcensus.com/compare/mangodisk.md): Free and cross-platform, or Mac-only with AI agents' leftovers
- [Disk Census vs DiskBuddy](https://diskcensus.com/compare/diskbuddy.md): Review-first on both, plus AI agents' leftovers and a CLI
- [Disk Census vs StorageRadar](https://diskcensus.com/compare/storageradar.md): Agents that can clean what you approve, not only read
- [Disk Census vs DissectMac](https://diskcensus.com/compare/dissectmac.md): From a map of the disk to a cleanup that knows your tools
- [Disk Census vs GrandPerspective](https://diskcensus.com/compare/grandperspective.md): Beyond the treemap: what's safe to remove, and why
- [Disk Census vs OmniDiskSweeper](https://diskcensus.com/compare/omnidisksweeper.md): Largest first, plus what each item is and whether it rebuilds
- [Disk Census vs AppCleaner](https://diskcensus.com/compare/appcleaner.md): Uninstall apps, and everything else that fills the Mac
- [Disk Census vs Pearcleaner](https://diskcensus.com/compare/pearcleaner.md): An uninstaller is one part of Disk Census
- [Disk Census vs DevCleaner for Xcode](https://diskcensus.com/compare/devcleaner.md): Xcode, and every other tool on the Mac
- [Disk Census vs Pretty Clean](https://diskcensus.com/compare/prettyclean.md): Developer cleanup with the tools named and the tiers explained

## How-tos

Step-by-step guides to seeing, freeing and keeping storage on a Mac, built only from Apple's documentation and, for developer tools, each tool's own docs. The links below are the Markdown versions; drop `.md` for the web page.

- [How to see what’s using your Mac’s storage](https://diskcensus.com/blogs/see-whats-using-your-mac-storage.md): Storage settings show how full your disk is, which kinds of files take the most space, and the large files you can remove.
- [How to free up space on your Mac](https://diskcensus.com/blogs/free-up-space-on-your-mac.md): Start with the recommendations built into macOS, then remove the files, apps and backups you no longer need.
- [What System Data means in your Mac’s storage](https://diskcensus.com/blogs/what-is-system-data-on-mac.md): What Apple says System Data holds, why you can’t clear it from Storage settings, and what does help.
- [How to uninstall apps on your Mac](https://diskcensus.com/blogs/uninstall-apps-on-mac.md): Quit the app, use its uninstaller if it has one or move it to the Trash, then empty the Trash.
- [How to clear developer caches on your Mac](https://diskcensus.com/blogs/clear-developer-caches-on-mac.md): Xcode, Homebrew, npm and Docker each have their own way to give space back, set out in their own documentation.

## Policies

- [License Agreement](https://diskcensus.com/terms): The lifetime license, activation and check-ins, and permanent deletion, including what an AI agent deletes at a person's request
- [Privacy Policy](https://diskcensus.com/privacy): What the app and this website send and keep
- [Refund Policy](https://diskcensus.com/refunds): Refunds within 14 days, through support or Link