[asdff]

If you are aware of this not hard to manage. Grep. rm -rf. Done. Usually its pretty tiny folders at least. Heavier stuff usually software makes a directory under Documents. Kinda nice in a few cases having it set up like this. For example I can delete the app but preserve my config. Drop the app right back again and no setup its turnkey and works.

[vbezhenar]

How do you know that you need to remove:

    /usr/local/bin/xxx symlinks
    /etc/hosts modifications
    /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.docker.vmnetd

after you moved your Docker folder to Bin.

That's only system files, there are also dozens of other files in $HOME.

I guess you can do `find / -name 'docker'` and `grep -iR docker /` but that's a bit ridiculous.

[asdff]

You can check these things out periodically. Probably a good exercise to understand parts of the OS if any of it seems unfamiliar. At least they are there, standardized locations where these sorts of tools might leave these sorts of crumbs behind. There are reasons why things go where they do. Seems byzantine until you write your own tooling and realize a lot of it is convenience functionality.

[fragmede]

grep for what? How am I supposed to know that the Foo app installed stuff under ~/Libraries/Application Support/com.bar.corporation?

[asdff]

Sorry you'd use Find not grep and you'd search for "Foo" or "corporation".

But if you know to do this you know that these things are stored where they are under Libraries.

[fragmede]

Sorry for being nitpicky about the exact tool, my broader point is that "Foo" or "corporation" isn't always obvious and is sometimes someone/thing you've never heard of before and would never think to search off the top of your head.

[asdff]

But like where would it be found? People are saying gotchas to me but they are saying things like host files or other directories where one might find services stored on macos. These aren't in some cryptic areas is what I am saying. If you are familiar enough with the OS to understand the concept of launchd and background services you know about these directories and what they might contain. These things are where you kinda ought to put these sorts of services if you are to write that sort of service for macos.

And really, this is better than what I've seen in linux where everyone wants to be cute with their own hidden directory paradigms.