Search: Add system folder exclusion toggle

vdavid · vdavid · commit 21d32ef15a11 · 2026-03-18T13:19:26.000+01:00
- Toggle button in scope row, on by default, excludes common junk directories from results
- Granular exclusion list: package managers (`node_modules`, `.cargo`, `.m2`), VCS (`.git`), build output (`dist`, `target`), caches (`Caches`, `GPUCache`, `ShaderCache`), macOS system (`Logs`, `Cookies`, `.Trash`, `.Spotlight-V100`), IDE caches (`workspaceStorage`, `DerivedData`)
- Intentionally does NOT exclude `Library` or `Application Support` — those contain user data like email attachments (`~/Library/Mail/`) and iCloud files
- Merges with user-specified scope excludes without duplicates
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/search/SearchDialog.svelte b/apps/desktop/src/lib/search/SearchDialog.svelte
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@
         setCaseSensitive,
         getScope,
         setScope,
+        getExcludeSystemDirs,
+        setExcludeSystemDirs,
+        systemDirNames,
         buildSearchQuery,
         resetSearchState,
         type SizeFilter,
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@
     const patternType = $derived(getPatternType())
     const caseSensitive = $derived(getCaseSensitive())
     const scope = $derived(getScope())
+    const excludeSystemDirs = $derived(getExcludeSystemDirs())
     const scanning = $derived(isScanning())
     const entriesScanned = $derived(getEntriesScanned())
 
@@ -254,6 +258,15 @@
                 if (parsed.includePaths.length > 0) query.includePaths = parsed.includePaths
                 if (parsed.excludePatterns.length > 0) query.excludeDirNames = parsed.excludePatterns
             }
+
+            // Merge system dir exclusions (avoid duplicates with user-specified excludes)
+            if (getExcludeSystemDirs()) {
+                const existing = new Set(query.excludeDirNames ?? [])
+                const toAdd = systemDirNames.filter((d) => !existing.has(d))
+                if (toAdd.length > 0) {
+                    query.excludeDirNames = [...(query.excludeDirNames ?? []), ...toAdd]
+                }
+            }
             const result = await searchFiles(query)
             setResults(result.entries)
             setTotalCount(result.totalCount)
@@ -421,6 +434,11 @@
         scheduleSearch()
     }
 
+    function toggleExcludeSystemDirs(): void {
+        setExcludeSystemDirs(!getExcludeSystemDirs())
+        scheduleSearch()
+    }
+
     function handleSizeFilterChange(e: Event): void {
         setSizeFilter((e.target as HTMLSelectElement).value as SizeFilter)
         scheduleSearch()
@@ -780,6 +798,23 @@
                     i
                 </button>
             </div>
+            <button
+                class="pattern-type-toggle"
+                class:active={excludeSystemDirs}
+                onclick={toggleExcludeSystemDirs}
+                disabled={inputsDisabled}
+                use:tooltip={{
+                    html:
+                        '<div style="max-width:320px">' +
+                        '<div style="font-weight:600;margin-bottom:4px">Exclude system and build folders</div>' +
+                        '<div style="color:var(--color-text-secondary)">node_modules, .git, Caches, Logs, and ' +
+                        String(systemDirNames.length - 4) + ' more</div>' +
+                        '</div>',
+                }}
+                aria-label={excludeSystemDirs ? 'System folders excluded' : 'System folders included'}
+            >
+                Filter
+            </button>
             <button
                 class="pattern-type-toggle"
                 onclick={() => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/search/search-state.svelte.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/search/search-state.svelte.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,27 @@ let aiPrompt = $state('')
 // Scope (folder filter)
 let scope = $state('')
 
+// System/build directory exclusion toggle (on by default)
+let excludeSystemDirs = $state(true)
+
+/** Common system, build, and cache directory names to exclude from search results. */
+export const systemDirNames = [
+    // Package managers & build tools
+    'node_modules', '.pnpm-store', '.npm', '.yarn', '.cargo', '.m2', '.gradle',
+    // VCS
+    '.git', '.svn', '.hg',
+    // Python
+    '__pycache__', '.venv', 'venv', '.tox',
+    // JS/TS build output
+    'build', 'dist', '.next', '.nuxt', '.cache', '.parcel-cache', 'target',
+    // macOS system & caches (granular — not Library or Application Support, those contain user data like Mail)
+    'Caches', 'CacheStorage', 'Cache', 'GPUCache', 'ScriptCache', 'GrShaderCache', 'ShaderCache',
+    'Logs', 'Cookies', 'WebKit', 'Saved Application State', '.Trash',
+    '.Spotlight-V100', '.fseventsd', '.DocumentRevisions-V100',
+    // IDE workspace caches
+    'workspaceStorage', 'DerivedData',
+]
+
 // Getters
 export function getIsIndexReady(): boolean {
     return isIndexReady
@@ -109,6 +130,9 @@ export function getCaseSensitive(): boolean {
 export function getScope(): string {
     return scope
 }
+export function getExcludeSystemDirs(): boolean {
+    return excludeSystemDirs
+}
 
 // Setters
 export function setIsIndexReady(value: boolean): void {
@@ -174,6 +198,9 @@ export function setCaseSensitive(value: boolean): void {
 export function setScope(value: string): void {
     scope = value
 }
+export function setExcludeSystemDirs(value: boolean): void {
+    excludeSystemDirs = value
+}
 
 /** Converts size input + unit to bytes. Returns undefined if empty or invalid. */
 export function parseSizeToBytes(value: string, unit: SizeUnit): number | undefined {
@@ -264,5 +291,6 @@ export function resetSearchState(): void {
     aiStatus = ''
     aiPrompt = ''
     scope = ''
+    excludeSystemDirs = true
     isSearching = false
 }
