---
title: database cleanup
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghae: '*'
  ghec: '*'
  ghes: '*'
topics:
  - Advanced Security
  - Code scanning
  - CodeQL
type: reference
product: '{% data reusables.gated-features.codeql %}'
autogenerated: codeql-cli
intro: Compact a CodeQL database on disk.
redirect_from:
  - /code-security/codeql-cli/manual/database-cleanup
---


<!-- Content after this section is automatically generated -->

{% data reusables.codeql-cli.man-pages-version-note %}

## Synopsis

```shell copy
codeql database cleanup [--mode=<mode>] <options>... -- <database>
```

## Description

Compact a CodeQL database on disk.

Delete temporary data, and generally make a database as small as
possible on disk without degrading its future usefulness.

## Primary options

#### `<database>`

\[Mandatory] Path to the CodeQL database to clean up.

### Low-level dataset cleanup options

#### `--max-disk-cache=<MB>`

Set the maximum amount of space that the disk cache for intermediate
query results can use.

If this size is not configured explicitly, the evaluator will try to use
a "reasonable" amount of cache space, based on the size of the dataset
and the complexity of the queries. Explicitly setting a higher limit
than this default usage will enable additional caching which can speed
up later queries.

#### `--min-disk-free=<MB>`

\[Advanced] Set target amount of free space on file system.

If `--max-disk-cache` is not given, the evaluator will try hard to
curtail disk cache usage if the free space on the file system drops
below this value.

#### `--min-disk-free-pct=<pct>`

\[Advanced] Set target fraction of free space on file system.

If `--max-disk-cache` is not given, the evaluator will try hard to
curtail disk cache usage if the free space on the file system drops
below this percentage.

#### `-m, --mode=<mode>`

Select how aggressively to trim the cache. Choices include:

`brutal`: Remove the entire cache, trimming down to the state of a
freshly extracted dataset

`normal` _(default)_: Trim everything except explicitly "cached"
predicates.

`light`: Simply make sure the defined size limits for the disk cache are
observed, deleting as many intermediates as necessary.

#### `--cleanup-upgrade-backups`

Delete any backup directories resulting from database upgrades.

### Common options

#### `-h, --help`

Show this help text.

#### `-J=<opt>`

\[Advanced] Give option to the JVM running the command.

(Beware that options containing spaces will not be handled correctly.)

#### `-v, --verbose`

Incrementally increase the number of progress messages printed.

#### `-q, --quiet`

Incrementally decrease the number of progress messages printed.

#### `--verbosity=<level>`

\[Advanced] Explicitly set the verbosity level to one of errors,
warnings, progress, progress+, progress++, progress+++. Overrides `-v`
and `-q`.

#### `--logdir=<dir>`

\[Advanced] Write detailed logs to one or more files in the given
directory, with generated names that include timestamps and the name of
the running subcommand.

(To write a log file with a name you have full control over, instead
give `--log-to-stderr` and redirect stderr as desired.)