Claude Code
storage
Temporary Files Accumulating and Filling Disk Space
Your application creates temporary files for processing (image transforms, PDF generation, CSV exports, file uploads) but never deletes them afterward. Over days or weeks, these orphaned files accumulate and eventually fill the disk, causing the application to crash or become unresponsive.
This is a silent issue that doesn't appear during development or testing because the files accumulate slowly. In production, you first notice it when the server runs out of disk space, uploads start failing, or the database can't write its WAL files.
The root cause is that Claude Code generated the file creation logic but didn't include cleanup logic, error handling that cleans up on failure, or a scheduled cleanup job.
Error Messages You Might See
Error: ENOSPC: no space left on device
OSError: [Errno 28] No space left on device
Disk quota exceeded
write ENOSPC
Failed to write WAL: disk full
Common Causes
- No cleanup after processing — Files are created in /tmp but fs.unlink() or os.remove() is never called after use
- Error paths skip cleanup — When processing fails with an exception, the temp file is never deleted because cleanup is in the success path only
- No try/finally block — File cleanup isn't in a finally block, so any thrown error leaves the file behind
- Missing cron job — No scheduled task to clean up files older than a certain age
- Unique filenames every request — Using UUID-based filenames means no overwriting of old files, just endless accumulation
How to Fix It
- Always clean up in a finally block — Wrap file operations in try/finally (or use Python's tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile with delete=True)
- Use streaming instead of temp files — Pipe data between transforms without writing intermediate files to disk
- Implement a cleanup cron job — Schedule a task to delete files in /tmp older than 1 hour
- Set tmpwatch or systemd-tmpfiles — Configure OS-level cleanup of temp directories on a schedule
- Monitor disk usage — Set up alerts for disk usage above 80% to catch accumulation before it causes outages
Real developers can help you.
Caio Rodrigues
I'm a full-stack developer focused on building practical and scalable web applications. My main experience is with **React, TypeScript, and modern frontend architectures**, where I prioritize clean code, component reusability, and maintainable project structures.
I have strong experience working with **dynamic forms, state management (Redux / React Hook Form), and complex data-driven interfaces**. I enjoy solving real-world problems by turning ideas into reliable software that companies can actually use in their daily operations.
Beyond coding, I care about **software quality and architecture**, following best practices for componentization, code organization, and performance optimization.
I'm also comfortable working across the stack when needed, integrating APIs, handling business logic, and helping transform prototypes into production-ready systems.
My goal is always to deliver solutions that are **simple, efficient, and genuinely useful for the people using them.**
Simon A.
I'm a backend developer building APIs, emulators, and interactive game systems. Professionally, I've developed Java/Spring reporting solutions, managed relational and NoSQL databases, and implemented CI/CD workflows.
AUXLE
I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies.
Yovel Cohen
I got a lot of experience in building Long-horizon AI Agents in production, Backend apps that scale to millions of users and frontend knowledge as well.
Prakash Prajapati
I’m a Senior Python Developer specializing in building secure, scalable, and highly available systems. I work primarily with Python, Django, FastAPI, Docker, PostgreSQL, and modern AI tooling such as PydanticAI, focusing on clean architecture, strong design principles, and reliable DevOps practices. I enjoy solving complex engineering problems and designing systems that are maintainable, resilient, and built to scale.
rayush33
JavaScript (React.js, React Native, Node.js) Developer with demonstrated industry experience of 4+ years, actively looking for opportunities to hone my skills as well as help small-scale business owners with solutions to technical problems
Anthony Akpan
Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups
Pratik
SWE with 15+ years of experience building and maintaining web apps and extensive BE infrastructure
Costea Adrian
Embedded Engineer specilizing in perception systems. Latest project was a adas camera calibration system.
Basel Issmail
’m a Senior Full-Stack Developer and Tech Lead with experience designing and building scalable web platforms. I work across the full development lifecycle, from translating business requirements into technical architecture to delivering reliable production systems.
My work focuses on modern web technologies, including TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and cloud-based architectures. I enjoy solving complex technical problems and helping teams turn product ideas and prototypes into working platforms that can grow and scale.
In addition to development, I often collaborate closely with product managers, business analysts, designers, and QA teams to ensure that solutions align with both technical and business goals.
I enjoy working with startups and product teams where I can contribute both as a hands-on engineer and as a technical partner in designing and delivering impactful software.
You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
How do I find what's filling my disk?
Run 'du -sh /tmp/* | sort -rh | head -20' to find the largest items in /tmp. Use 'df -h' to see overall disk usage. Check your app's upload and cache directories too.
How do I prevent temp file accumulation?
Use language-specific temp file APIs that auto-delete (Python's tempfile, Node's tmp library with cleanup option). Always delete in a finally block and add a cron job as a safety net.