paccache

Remove all but the 3 most recent package versions from the pacman cache

$ paccache -r

$ paccache -rk [num_versions]

$ paccache -d

$ paccache -m [path/to/directory]

paccache [options] [targets...]

paccache is a cache cleaning utility for pacman, the Arch Linux package manager. It removes old package versions from the pacman cache directory (/var/cache/pacman/pkg/) while preserving recent versions for potential rollbacks.
By default, it keeps the 3 most recent versions of each package. This helps reclaim disk space while maintaining the ability to downgrade packages if needed. The tool can target all cached packages or only those no longer installed on the system.

-r, --remove

Remove candidate packages from the cache

Perform a dry run, only listing candidates

Keep num versions of each package (default: 3)

Move candidates to dir instead of removing

Target uninstalled packages only

Specify alternate cache directory

Filter packages by architecture

Show removed or moved packages

Minimize output

Use null delimiters for output

Display help message

Requires appropriate permissions to modify the pacman cache (typically root). After aggressive cleaning, downgrading packages may require re-downloading older versions. Consider keeping at least 1-2 versions for critical packages.

Part of pacman-contrib, a collection of scripts for pacman previously included in the main pacman package. Split into a separate package to keep the core pacman lean. Essential for Arch Linux system maintenance where the cache can grow substantially over time.

pacman(8), pactree(8), pacdiff(8)