Cleaner Laravel Package

Product Decisions This Supports

• Data Retention & Compliance: Enables automated cleanup of stale data (e.g., logs, cache, user sessions) to meet GDPR, CCPA, or internal retention policies, reducing legal/operational risk.
• Cost Optimization: Reduces storage costs (e.g., S3, databases) by purging obsolete files, backups, or temporary data without manual intervention.
• Performance Improvements: Frees up database/index space or file storage, indirectly boosting query speeds or reducing I/O bottlenecks.
• Build vs. Buy: Avoids reinventing a generic cleanup system, saving dev time for higher-value features. Justification for adopting an open-source solution over a SaaS tool (e.g., if cleanup logic is simple and internal).
• Roadmap Prioritization: Supports initiatives like:
  • Migrating to cheaper storage tiers (e.g., S3 Infrequent Access).
  • Automating post-deployment cleanup (e.g., after feature rollouts).
  • Integrating with CI/CD pipelines for zero-downtime maintenance.

When to Consider This Package

• Adopt if:

  • Your app stores time-bound data (e.g., audit logs >90 days, temporary uploads, expired sessions) and lacks a built-in cleanup mechanism.
  • You’re using Laravel/Eloquent and need database + filesystem cleanup (e.g., deleting old model records and associated files).
  • Your team prioritizes low-maintenance solutions over custom scripts (e.g., cron jobs with raw SQL).
  • You’re archiving or migrating data and need a one-time bulk cleanup tool.

• Look elsewhere if:

  • Your cleanup logic requires complex business rules (e.g., "delete only if user X hasn’t logged in for 6 months and hasn’t purchased in 1 year").
  • You need real-time cleanup (e.g., soft deletes with immediate storage sync) or event-driven triggers (e.g., Slack notifications before deletion).
  • Your stack isn’t Laravel/PHP (e.g., Django, Node.js, or serverless architectures).
  • You require audit trails or recovery options (this package is destructive by design).
  • The package’s last release is 2+ years old (risk of compatibility issues with Laravel 10+).

How to Pitch It (Stakeholders)

For Executives: "This open-source tool automates the cleanup of stale data—like old logs, cache, or user uploads—to cut storage costs and reduce compliance risks. For example, if we’re paying $500/month for S3 storage, purging 10GB of obsolete files could save ~$15/month with zero dev effort. It’s a low-risk way to optimize infrastructure without hiring engineers to build custom scripts. Since it’s MIT-licensed and Laravel-native, it integrates seamlessly with our stack."

For Engineering: *"lamoda/cleaner is a lightweight Laravel package that handles bulk deletion of expired data across databases and filesystems. It’s ideal for:

• Scheduled cleanup: Run via cron to purge logs/cache older than X days.
• Post-migration cleanup: Wipe test data or old backups after deployments.
• Prototyping: Quickly test cleanup logic before building a custom solution. Tradeoffs: It’s not event-driven (no hooks for pre/post-deletion) and lacks audit logging. If we need those, we’d need to extend it. But for basic TTL-based cleanup, it’s a 10-minute setup vs. weeks of dev work."*