---
name: "dh_auto_clean"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "debhelper"
version: "13.24.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dh_auto_clean"
---

# dh\_auto\_clean(1)

automatically cleans up after a build

## NAME

dh\_auto\_clean - automatically cleans up after a build

## SYNOPSIS

**dh\_auto\_clean** \[*build system options*\] \[*debhelper options*\] \[**--** *params*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**dh\_auto\_clean** is a debhelper program that tries to automatically clean up after a package build. It does so by running the appropriate command for the build system it detects the package uses. For example, if there's a *Makefile* and it contains a **distclean**, **realclean**, or **clean** target, then this is done by running **make** (or **MAKE**, if the environment variable is set). If there is a *setup.py* or *Build.PL*, it is run to clean the package.

This is intended to work for about 90% of packages. If it doesn't work, or tries to use the wrong clean target, you're encouraged to skip using **dh\_auto\_clean** at all, and just run **make clean** manually.

## OPTIONS

See "**BUILD SYSTEM OPTIONS**" in [**debhelper**(7)](/debhelper/7.md) for a list of common build system selection and control options.

- **--** *params*

  Pass *params* to the program that is run, after the parameters that **dh\_auto\_clean** usually passes.

## SEE ALSO

[**debhelper**(7)](/debhelper/7.md)

This program is a part of debhelper.

## AUTHOR

Joey Hess \<joeyh@debian.org\>