DerivedData
DerivedData stores Xcode’s intermediate build products, indexes, and debug artifacts created while compiling and running projects.
What is DerivedData?
DerivedData is a folder used by Xcode to store temporary and reusable development artifacts for projects you open and build. It commonly contains intermediate build files, module caches, indexing data for code completion and search, logs, and products generated during debugging and testing. Developers often encounter it when Xcode projects consume significant disk space or when build issues lead them to inspect Xcode’s working data.
Safety overview
Status: Mostly safe
This folder usually contains regenerable development data rather than original source code, but removing it can force Xcode to rebuild projects, reindex code, and recreate debugging artifacts. That may temporarily slow down the next build and can clear some local build history or diagnostics.
Recommendation: Keep it if you actively use Xcode and want faster builds and indexing. It is generally reasonable to remove when troubleshooting build problems or reclaiming space, as long as you expect Xcode to recreate it and spend time rebuilding afterward.
File path
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
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