Automating System Management with Bash: A Hands-on Approach

Harnessing the Power of Bash for Workflow Efficiency

As a developer, strategist, and systems thinker, I’m always looking for ways to optimize workflows and automate repetitive tasks. While high-level scripting languages like Python and automation tools like Ansible are excellent for infrastructure management, Bash remains one of the most efficient and lightweight tools for system administration, automation, and task execution.

Over the years, I’ve developed a practical working knowledge of Bash, leveraging it for system cleanup, file management, and task automation. In this post, I’ll walk through my recent hands-on work in Bash—demonstrating my ability to tackle real-world system challenges efficiently.

Using Bash to Manage System Files & Optimize Storage

Identifying and Removing Large Files

A common issue that many professionals face is disk bloat—unused files accumulating over time and consuming valuable storage. I tackled this by using Bash to identify, review, and remove large files efficiently:

find ~ -type f -size +500M -exec ls -lh {} + | sort -rh -k5 | head -20

✅ This script finds and lists the largest 20 files in my home directory, making it easy to review before deletion.

To delete old files safely, I used:

find ~/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm -v {} \;

✅ This command finds and removes files older than 30 days in my Downloads folder, ensuring my system stays clean.

Automating System Cleanup with Bash Scripts

Rather than manually running multiple commands, I streamlined my workflow by writing a Bash script that clears caches, removes temporary files, and optimizes storage:

#!/bin/bash
echo "Cleaning system caches and old files..."

# Remove user caches
rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/*

# Remove files older than 30 days from Downloads & Trash
find ~/Downloads -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm -v {} \;
find ~/.Trash -type f -mtime +30 -exec rm -v {} \;

echo "✅ System cleanup complete!"

This script ensures that my system remains optimized without manual intervention, saving time and maintaining performance.

Leveraging Bash for System Insights & Logs

Checking Disk Usage Efficiently

To keep track of storage usage, I used the following disk usage (du) and sort combination:

du -ah ~ | sort -rh | head -20

✅ This command efficiently identifies the largest files and directories, allowing me to pinpoint where storage is being consumed.

For monitoring purgeable storage and system snapshots:

diskutil info / | grep "Purgeable"

✅ This command helps track macOS purgeable files, which can be manually cleared for more space.

Automating & Scheduling Tasks with Cron Jobs

To ensure system cleanup happens regularly, I used cron jobs to schedule automation:

1️⃣ Open the cron job editor:

crontab -e

2️⃣ Add the following line to run my cleanup script every Sunday at midnight:

0 0 * * 0 ~/cleanup.sh

✅ This ensures my system stays optimized without manual intervention every week.

Handling System Restrictions & MacOS Security (SIP)

During this process, I encountered macOS System Integrity Protection (SIP) preventing access to certain system files. Instead of disabling SIP, I worked around it by:

Granting Full Disk Access to Terminal (via System Settings).
Using tmutil thinlocalsnapshots / 10000000000 4 to remove Time Machine local snapshots.
Running mkfile -n 10g ~/bigfile and deleting it to force macOS to clear purgeable space.

These solutions ensured safe and effective system maintenance without compromising security.

Why Bash? A Startup & Enterprise Perspective

For startups and enterprises, Bash scripting remains an essential tool for:

✔ Automating DevOps workflows—log rotation, backups, package installations.
✔ Managing cloud instances—automating AWS, GCP, and Azure tasks.
✔ Optimizing CI/CD pipelines—integrating with Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and Kubernetes.
✔ Server & user management—handling provisioning, permissions, and cleanup.

While I work extensively with cloud automation tools like Terraform and Ansible, Bash remains a core skill in my technical toolkit for handling tasks quickly and efficiently.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Through these exercises, I demonstrated my ability to:

✅ Use Bash effectively for system maintenance and storage optimization.
✅ Write automation scripts to eliminate manual work.
✅ Solve real-world system challenges while navigating security restrictions.
✅ Leverage Bash within larger automation workflows to enhance productivity.

You can check out the full Bash scripts, logs, and steps I used in my GitHub repository: github.com/DTheArtist/macOS_CLI_Cleaning

Bash is just one of the many tools in my technical stack, but its impact on automation and efficiency is undeniable. Whether handling infrastructure, DevOps, or startup workflows, I thrive in designing scalable, automated solutions to keep systems running smoothly.

🚀 Looking for an engineer, product strategist, or automation expert?
Let's talk! Reach out via linkedin.com/in/daniioliver