Free open-source (MIT) Windows 10/11 cleaner in Tauri 2 (Rust + React): scans drives and gives every large file a verdict from 125 hand-written rules ('never guesses'), permanent deletion restricted to a public cache list (cleaners.json plus a ~1,100-entry filtered Winapp2 community catalog), personal files Recycle-Bin-only with journal-based restore, restore point before heavy cleans, read-only MFT fast scan (2 s vs 8-21 s on 420 GB), program leftovers, old project folders (node_modules, .venv, target, Ollama/LM Studio/Hugging Face models), duplicates, startup manager, closed-list debloat, OneDrive/Dropbox space freeing. No telemetry, no account, portable exe + installer + Scoop; unsigned binaries built by GitHub Actions with published sha256. Store/winget 'on the way'.
Sole contributor (122 commits). Site contact: 'Tell me here, no account needed. I read every message.'
License
MIT
MIT (GitHub API); src-tauri/winapp2.json derived from the Winapp2 community catalog under CC BY-SA 4.0 (WINAPP2-NOTICE.md); 'Everything else is MIT'
Price
Free
Free. 'No paid version, no ads, no account. The source code is public.'
Launched
repo_created_at
Repo created
GitHub stars
4 (as of 2026-10-31)
First release
Domain registered
(swaks.org)
Last seen alive
Checks
Mechanical checks derived from the fields above. Each row is one fact; "not yet checked" means exactly that, not a failure. There is no composite score; read them together.
Track record
21 days ago
Source published
Not yet checked
Release signing
Not yet checked
Security contact
Not yet checked
Reproducible builds
Not yet checked
Telemetry
Not yet checked
Runs elevated
Not yet checked
Auto-update channel
Not yet checked
Recent activity
Last seen 4 days ago
Research notes
Safety engineering is the whole pitch and it is enforced in Rust, not just claimed: personal files Recycle-Bin-only (restorable from the journal), permanent deletion restricted to hand-written cleaners.json + filtered Winapp2 catalog, junctions/symlinks never followed, locked files skipped, restore point before 'heavy' cleans (Windows.old, DISM, CompactOS), delete commands only accept items from the last Rust-side scan list, 'Kleaner never guesses' (no rule -> verdict 'unknown').
Openly AI-assisted but attribution-free: CLAUDE.md documents the workflow while banning Claude attribution in commits; 122 commits in 17 days with French messages.
Unsigned binaries: 'Kleaner is not signed yet (a certificate is expensive for a free project)'; mitigated by GitHub Actions builds + published sha256 hashes; commits mention SignPath free OSS signing as a plan.
The r/freesoftware launch post was removed by mods for not filling the mandatory submission info, which includes an AI-use disclosure question - it went unanswered even though the repo's CLAUDE.md documents the AI workflow.
Dormant-account launch pattern: reddit account created 2020-03-06, single 2021 osu! comment, then nothing until the Kleaner launch on 2026-10-30; post_karma 1, comment_karma 0.
Positions itself against the incumbent: site FAQ 'Is Kleaner a CCleaner alternative? Yes, a free one with no ads... never "cleans" the registry and sends nothing over the Internet.'
Earliest author promotion found and canonical CSV entry; the only surviving launch post.
Most cleaners show a big "Clean" button and you hope nothing breaks. Kleaner does the opposite: it scans your drives and gives every large file and folder a verdict (safe to clean, uninstall it, breaks something, your files, system, or unknown) with what it is and what happens if you delete it. With no rule, it says "unknown"; it never guesses. — Problem statement
a free, open-source Windows cleaner that explains every file before deleting anything — Virtue
No telemetry, no account, no ads, registry never "cleaned" — Trust signal
Your own files only go to the Recycle Bin; permanent deletion is limited to a public list of caches — Trust signal
MIT, Tauri + Rust + React. Portable exe, installer, Scoop; Store and winget on the way. — Tech bingo
feedback welcome, especially folders it marks "unknown". — Engagement hook
Removed by freesoftware-ModTeam for not answering the mandatory info request, which includes 'If AI was used in the creation of the software and explain to what extent' - the question went unanswered even though the repo's CLAUDE.md documents it. Kept as evidence of the unanswered AI-use disclosure.