Ditch

What is Ditch?

Ditch is a free, open-source macOS utility designed to clean up apps by letting you remove an application and its related leftover files using macOS’s notch as a drop zone. The core purpose is to reduce post-uninstall clutter by scanning for common cache, preference, container, and other files that typically remain after removing apps.

When you drag an app toward the notch, Ditch provides a preview of the related files it found. After you confirm, it removes those items by moving them to the Trash for restore if needed.

Key Features

• Notch-native drop zone: Ditch lives in your MacBook’s notch, appears during drag, and hides when you’re done.
• Deep cleaning of leftover data: It scans for and removes related caches, preferences, containers, logs, cookies, and other items associated with the app you’re dropping.
• File preview before removal: You can review exactly what files Ditch plans to remove; clicking a file reveals it in Finder.
• Safe removal behavior: Items are sent to the Trash rather than permanently deleted, allowing restoration if necessary.
• Lightweight implementation: Built in Swift with “no Electron,” and described as under 1MB.

How to Use Ditch

1. Download and install the app: open the provided DMG (Ditch-1.0.0.dmg) and drag Ditch into your Applications folder.
2. If macOS blocks the unsigned app, run the provided quarantine removal command:
   • xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Ditch.app
3. Drag the target .app from /Applications toward the notch drop zone.
4. Review the related files shown by Ditch and click Remove to clean them up. Items go to Trash.

Use Cases

• Removing an app and its leftover files: If you delete an app but still see residual data in user folders, Ditch can help by cleaning caches, preferences, containers, and logs it finds during the drop workflow.
• Cleaning specific app-related browser and web data: Ditch includes categories such as cookies, HTTP storage, and WebKit data, which can be useful when an app/web component leaves behind web-related artifacts.
• Quick cleanup with a visual check: The preview and “reveal in Finder” behavior lets you confirm what will be removed before proceeding.
• Background auto-launch: If you enable Launch at Login, Ditch runs automatically in the background, so the notch drop zone is ready without manual startup.
• Restoring accidentally removed items: Because the tool moves results to the Trash, you can restore files if the scan includes something you didn’t expect.

FAQ

• Does Ditch permanently delete files? No. The cleaned items are moved to the Trash, so you can restore them if needed.

• What macOS version does Ditch require? The stated requirement is macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later.

• Does Ditch require a MacBook notch? The app is notch-based, but it also works in a fallback mode on non-notch Macs (as stated in the requirements).

• How does installation work if the app isn’t signed? The project notes that it isn’t signed with an Apple Developer ID, so macOS blocks it by default. It provides a command to remove the quarantine attribute: xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Ditch.app.

• What locations does Ditch scan? The documentation lists scans across several ~/Library categories including Application Support, Caches, Preferences, Logs, Saved Application State, Containers, Group Containers, Cookies, HTTP Storage, WebKit Data, App Scripts, Logs/DiagnosticReports (Crash Reports), and more.

Alternatives

• Manual cleanup of ~/Library folders: For users comfortable inspecting and deleting caches/preferences/containers themselves, this approach provides maximum control but requires more manual work.
• Uninstaller tools or cleanup utilities that remove app leftovers: These typically automate cleanup for common macOS application artifacts, often with a UI flow similar to “scan then remove,” but may use different scanning logic and install footprints.
• Using built-in macOS features after app deletion: Some users rely on standard app deletion plus follow-up checks (e.g., verifying remaining data in user library folders) to avoid extra tooling.
• General system cleaners: Broad utilities can clean caches and temporary files, but they may not provide the app-focused, preview-based removal workflow described for Ditch.