[mwexler]

So, the app explodes in size, and since almost no app provides a "clear cache/temp" feature, apps grow til you are crashing routinely. While iOS may clear some space when it feels like it, I have a monthly routine of deleting and reinstalling a slew of apps which take up gigs of space on the device after usage, even though they are just showing data stored on a server. I know, I shouldn't have to worry about this, that iOS will eventually clean it up... but when apps are crashing b/c they can't get space, I wind up having to manually step in.

So, a) for devs, if you think your app caches, provide a way to clear it (look at Opera's Coast browser, who puts it in the Settings app), and b) for users, if you think you are out of space, look at apps and compare app size to total space, and you'll find some hogs.

[ar15saveslives]

iOS cleans up Caches/tmp directory, it it needs space.

https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Fi...

> "Note that the system may delete the Caches/ directory to free up disk space, so your app must be able to re-create or download these files as needed."

> tmp: "however, the system may purge this directory when your app is not running."

[vinayan3]

Despite this claim. It doesn't feel like it happens. Maybe, apps aren't writing the Cache files to the right place and that's why they aren't being cleaned up.

[mwexler]

But system controlled garbage collection is great until it's not. When I need space, I need it now, not when system decides I do. We've seen it with Java, and now with iOS. Yet another thing that iOS does on my behalf that I may wish to do myself.

[kalleboo]

I made the mistake of buying a 16 GB iPad mini 2. While pretty much all I use on it are a screenful of streaming apps, it's chronically low on memory. I have iCloud Photos enabled and it set to optimize storage, but it regularly gets in a situation where there's not enough free storage to upload new photos to iCloud Photos, since iCloud Photos has filled up the 4 GB free storage...

[bpicolo]

I've been using Google Photos for this. They offer unlimited storage (though they compress photos), and the sync process is hands off (just have to open the app).