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14431443The explorer covers files you author and edit. A few related files live elsewhere:
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1445| File | Location | Purpose |
1446| ----------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
1447| `managed-settings.json` | System-level, varies by OS | Enterprise-enforced settings that you can't override, apart from [narrow exceptions](/docs/en/settings#security-keys-where-the-stricter-value-applies). See [where to save the file](/docs/en/managed-settings#deploy-a-managed-settings-file) and [which managed source Claude Code uses](/docs/en/managed-settings#precedence-within-the-managed-tier). |
1448| `CLAUDE.local.md` | Project root | Your private preferences for this project, loaded alongside CLAUDE.md. Create it manually and add it to `.gitignore`. |
1449| Installed plugins | `~/.claude/plugins` | Cloned marketplaces, installed plugin versions, and per-plugin data, managed by `claude plugin` commands. For a plugin installed from a marketplace [`command` source](/docs/en/plugin-marketplaces#command-sources) in link mode, Claude Code stores links here instead of a copy, and the plugin's files stay in the directory the command prints. See [plugin caching](/docs/en/plugins-reference#plugin-caching-and-file-resolution) for how orphaned versions are cleaned up. |
1445| File | Location | Purpose |
1446| ----------------------- | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
1447| `managed-settings.json` | System-level, varies by OS | Enterprise-enforced settings that you can't override, apart from [narrow exceptions](/docs/en/settings#security-keys-where-the-stricter-value-applies). See [where to save the file](/docs/en/managed-settings#deploy-a-managed-settings-file) and [which managed source Claude Code uses](/docs/en/managed-settings#precedence-within-the-managed-tier). |
1448| `CLAUDE.local.md` | Project root | Your private preferences for this project, loaded alongside CLAUDE.md. Create it manually and add it to `.gitignore`. |
1449| Installed plugins | `~/.claude/plugins` | Cloned marketplaces, installed plugin versions, and per-plugin data, managed by `claude plugin` commands. For a plugin installed from a marketplace [`command` source](/docs/en/plugin-marketplaces#command-sources) in link mode, Claude Code stores links here instead of a copy, and the plugin's files stay in the directory the command prints. A `command` source requires Claude Code v2.1.229 or later. See [plugin caching](/docs/en/plugins-reference#plugin-caching-and-file-resolution) for how orphaned versions are cleaned up. |
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14511451`~/.claude` also holds data Claude Code writes as you work: transcripts, prompt history, file snapshots, caches, and logs. See [application data](#application-data) below.
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15411541* **Auto memory**: the sweep doesn't delete the memory files in a project's [auto memory](/docs/en/memory#auto-memory) directory, `projects/<project>/memory/`. Claude Code removes that directory only if it has been empty for the whole retention period. Before v2.1.228, the sweep treated folders inside the memory directory as session data and could delete old files beneath it.
15421542* **Claude Desktop and Cowork transcripts**: Claude Code keeps the transcript of a session you started or most recently continued in Claude Desktop or Cowork at any age. To give these transcripts an age limit, set [`desktopSessionCleanupPeriodDays`](/docs/en/settings-reference#desktopsessioncleanupperioddays). When [managed settings](/docs/en/managed-settings) set `cleanupPeriodDays`, Claude Code deletes these transcripts after that period instead. Requires Claude Code v2.1.248 or later; earlier versions delete them after `cleanupPeriodDays`.
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1544Claude Code skips the sweep entirely in these cases:
1544Claude Code skips the age-based sweep in these cases:
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15461546* **Bare mode**: when you run `claude -p` with [`--bare`](/docs/en/headless#start-faster-with-bare-mode), Claude Code doesn't run the sweep in that session.
15471547* **Paused sweep**: if Claude Code can't safely determine the retention period, it pauses the retention cleanup sweep; the [`retention_sweep` event](/docs/en/monitoring-usage#retention-sweep-event) lists each configuration that pauses it. When the cause is a settings file that can't be read or parsed, or settings errors with `cleanupPeriodDays` or `desktopSessionCleanupPeriodDays` explicitly set, Claude Code also shows a warning in `/status` until you fix the settings errors. When [managed settings](/docs/en/server-managed-settings) provide `cleanupPeriodDays`, Claude Code runs the sweep at the managed value in either case.