How do I clear the Composer cache? (composer clearcache)
The Composer clearcache command is used to clear local cached data to solve the problem of outdated or dependency of package versions. Its core function is to delete stored package metadata, download archives, and Git cloning information. 1. It will not affect the vendor directory or composer.lock file; 2. Selectively clear specific cache types such as package files, repository metadata, VCS clones; 3. The cache location varies from system to system, and is located in ~/.composer/cache in Linux/macOS or AppData\Local\Composer for Windows; 4. If you use Docker or Homestead, you need to confirm whether it is executed in the correct environment; 5. Clearing the cache is safe and fast, and is suitable for the preliminary processing steps before debugging.
If you're having issues with Composer, like outdated packages or weird errors, clearing the cache is often a good first step. The composer clearcache
command is straightforward, but there are a few things to know to make sure it works properly and what it actually does.
What Does composer clearcache
Actually Do?
Composer stores a lot of data locally to speed up future operations — like package metadata, downloaded archives, and version control snapshots (like Git clones). When you run composer clearcache
, it wipes out most of this cached data, forcing Composer to fetch fresh copies next time.
This can help if:
- You're seeing outdated versions of packages
- You're switching between PHP versions or environments
- You're troubleshooting dependency issues
But note: it doesn't delete your vendor/
directory or composer.lock
. So your actual installed dependencies stay intact.
How to Run composer clearcache
The simplest way is to just run:
composer clearcache
This will clear all caches at once. If you prefer being more selective (maybe you only want to clear one type), you can use:
-
composer clear-cache --cache-files
– Clears downloaded package files -
composer clear-cache --cache-repo
– Clears repository metadata -
composer clear-cache --cache-vcs
– Clears VCS (Git) clones
You might also see some third-party plugins adding extra cache types — but for most users, the above are all you need.
Where Is the Cache Stored? (And Why It Might Not Be What You Expect)
Depending on your OS and setup, Composer's cache lives in different places:
- Linux/macOS :
~/.composer/cache
or~/.cache/composer
- Windows :
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Composer</username>
Sometimes, especially in shared or CI environments, the cache directory might be customized via the COMPOSER_CACHE_DIR
environment variable. If you're not seeing changes after running clearcache
, double-check that variable.
Also, if you're using Docker or a tool like Laravel Homestead, the cache might live inside a container or virtual machine — so running composer clearcache
on your host machine won't help unless you're in the right environment.
Clearing the Composer cache is usually quick and safe. Just remember it doesn't remove anything from your project directory — only the global Composer cache. If you're debugging issues, this is a solid first move before diving into more complex fixes.
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