Two kinds of stale
Finds branches merged into the default branch and branches whose
upstream is gone (the [origin/x: gone] marker in git branch -vv).
gitsweep
Clean up stale local git branches in one command. gitsweep finds local
branches that are already merged or whose upstream is gone, shows you the list
grouped by reason, and deletes them only after your confirmation.
Local branches pile up. You merge a PR, the remote branch gets deleted, but the
local copy lingers. Multiply that by every feature you ship and git branch
becomes a graveyard. gitsweep finds the dead branches and removes them —
safely, and only after you say so. The current branch and the default
branch are never touched.
Default branch: main · current: feature-y
Merged into default branch: ✓ feature-x (merged) ✓ hotfix-123 (merged)
Upstream gone: ⚠ old-spike (upstream gone) — force delete
Delete 3 branch(es)? [y/N]Never deletes your work
The current branch and the default branch are always excluded. Merged
branches use the safe git branch -d, which refuses to drop unmerged work.
Force deletes are flagged
A gone-but-unmerged branch needs git branch -D. gitsweep labels it
force delete in the list, so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
Confirm, or don't touch
Candidates are grouped and shown first; nothing is removed until you type
y. Or pass --dry-run to preview and change nothing at all.
Filter what you sweep
Narrow to just --merged or just --gone, override detection with
--main <branch>, or skip the prompt in scripts with -y.
Pure Node over git
No daemon, no config, no network. A thin wrapper around your local git,
with the branch-selection logic in pure, well-tested functions.
Next steps
Section titled “Next steps” Quick start Install, dry-run, then confirm and delete — in three steps.
How it works What counts as stale, how the default branch is found, and the safety guarantees.
CLI reference Every flag, exit codes, and copy-paste examples.