I've been using Linux for over ten years and have experimented with various distros, but my systems always seem to become bloated over time. I often install random tools, scripts, or software from GitHub along with their dependencies, but months later, I don't use those tools anymore yet the dependencies remain. For instance, I installed Fedora two years ago and now I have conflicting mesa drivers that are leftovers from installations I can't even remember. After switching from Gnome to Hyprland, I'm still seeing remnants of Gnome because I'm unsure if other software depends on it, so I'm hesitant to remove it completely. I know I can check for orphaned packages manually, but that doesn't catch everything I've previously installed for a build and no longer need. I've faced this issue across different distros, and while Arch has been the best for tracking dependencies with yay, I often contemplate reinstalling Linux every few years to avoid the clutter. What am I missing in my approach?
5 Answers
One issue here might be 'oooh, shiny syndrome.' You install new software without removing the old ones. This is common, especially with GUI users. Consider it a sort of purge whenever you reinstall Linux. Just install what you actually need at that moment, similar to ‘moving into a new house’ but without taking everything from the old one.
It sounds like you're struggling with what's known as "cruft buildup." This happens in most systems as package managers can't perfectly clean up after installations. Nix addresses this better by ensuring that builds with the same configuration yield the same results. Reinstalling your OS every couple of years may be more manageable than trying to keep everything perfectly clean without taking a lot of time, so maybe consider it a necessary maintenance step.
Ultimately, disk space is pretty cheap, so if things aren't slowing you down or using too much memory, it might be easier to simply leave the extras alone. As long as your system runs smoothly, having some 'extra baggage' might not be worth the hassle of cleaning up constantly.
You might want to check out distros like NixOS that allow for declarative configurations. This means you can reference a config file to see your system's state. There are also atomic distros like Silverblue, which help you understand changes from the base image. Using containers or VMs can also be a good solution—set up a container for tools with tricky dependencies and remove it when you're done. This keeps your main system clean and avoids clutter.
When you say your system feels bloated, what exactly do you mean? Today, most machines have plenty of space and RAM to handle additional files, so a few leftover dependencies might not matter as much as you think. Using your package manager to clean up unused software regularly can help, especially Arch's pacman, which is pretty powerful.
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