vite-plugin-clean

2.0.1 verified Mon Apr 27 auth: no javascript

Vite plugin to remove/clean build files or folders before building. Version 2.0.1, maintained with sparse releases. Key differentiator: simple, zero-config clean of 'dist' by default with optional custom target files. Lightweight alternative to 'rimraf' or shell commands, integrates directly into Vite's build lifecycle. No extra dependencies.

Common errors

error Error: Cannot find module 'vite-plugin-clean' ↓

cause Missing npm install or mismatched package name.

fix

Run npm install --save-dev vite-plugin-clean

error TypeError: cleanPlugin is not a function ↓

cause Incorrect import style (named instead of default).

fix

Use import cleanPlugin from 'vite-plugin-clean' (default import).

error Clean plugin not working: nothing is deleted. ↓

cause targetFiles paths are relative to project root but might be incorrect.

fix

Use absolute paths or ensure relative paths are correct from project root.

Warnings

gotcha Plugin cleans target files before every build, including dev server start. ↓

fix Ensure target files are not needed during dev; consider using 'buildStart' only by wrapping in conditional.

gotcha targetFiles are deleted synchronously and irreversibly. ↓

fix Double-check file paths; test with non-critical directories first.

deprecated Option 'cleanDist' removed in v2.0.0. ↓

fix Use targetFiles: ['dist'] instead.

Install

npm install vite-plugin-clean

yarn add vite-plugin-clean

pnpm add vite-plugin-clean

Imports

default import (cleanPlugin)

wrong

const cleanPlugin = require('vite-plugin-clean')

correct

import cleanPlugin from 'vite-plugin-clean'

ESM only; supports default export.

default import (alias)

wrong

import { clean } from 'vite-plugin-clean'

correct

import clean from 'vite-plugin-clean'

The module exports a default function only.

TypeScript support
```
import cleanPlugin from 'vite-plugin-clean'
```
Ships TypeScript types; no separate type import needed.

Quickstart

Demonstrates plugin usage with custom targetFiles to remove 'dist' and 'temp' directories before build.

// vite.config.js
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import cleanPlugin from 'vite-plugin-clean'

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [
    cleanPlugin({
      targetFiles: ['dist', 'temp']
    })
  ]
})