Where Is the OpenClaude Repo Map Cache Stored?

The OpenClaude repo map cache is stored in ${OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR}/cache/repo-map when the environment variable is set, or ${HOME}/.openclaude/cache/repo-map by default, as determined by the getCacheDir() function in src/context/repoMap/cache.ts.

Understanding where the OpenClaude repo map cache is stored helps you manage disk space, debug persistence issues, or share cache across environments. In the Gitlawb/openclaude repository, the cache location follows a deterministic path resolution strategy based on your configuration directory. This guide breaks down the exact file paths and logic governing where repository maps persist on disk.

Default Cache Location and Environment Override

The system resolves the cache directory by checking for the OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable at runtime.

• If set: Cache resides at ${OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR}/cache/repo-map
• If unset: Cache defaults to ${HOME}/.openclaude/cache/repo-map

This logic is implemented in src/context/repoMap/cache.ts. The getCacheDir() function constructs the final absolute path by appending cache/repo-map to the base configuration directory returned by getConfigDir().

How the Cache Path Is Constructed

Resolving the Configuration Directory

The underlying getConfigDir() utility, defined in src/utils/openclaudePaths.ts, handles environment variable detection. When OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR is undefined, the function falls back to the standard home directory location ~/.openclaude.

Building the Cache Directory

In src/context/repoMap/cache.ts, the getCacheDir() function assembles the complete path:

import { getConfigDir } from '../../utils/openclaudePaths';
import path from 'path';

export function getCacheDir(): string {
  const configDir = getConfigDir();
  return path.join(configDir, 'cache', 'repo-map');
}

Accessing and Customizing the Cache Location

You can retrieve the cache location programmatically or override it via environment variables before launching the CLI.

Programmatic retrieval:

import { getCacheDir } from './src/context/repoMap/cache';

const cacheDir = getCacheDir();
console.log(`Repo-map cache stored at: ${cacheDir}`);

Command-line override:

export OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=/mnt/fast-storage/openclaude
openclaude repomap

# Cache will be written to /mnt/fast-storage/openclaude/cache/repo-map

Source Code Verification

The repository contains verification logic in src/context/repoMap/repoMap.test.ts, where the test suite confirms that the cache directory matches the path supplied via process arguments or environment configuration.

Additionally, the repomap command implementation in src/commands/repomap/repomap.ts exposes the current cache location to users through the following output:

console.log(`  Cache directory: ${cacheStats.cacheDir}`);

Summary

• The OpenClaude repo map cache location depends on the OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable.
• Default storage path is ${HOME}/.openclaude/cache/repo-map when the variable is unset.
• The getCacheDir() function in src/context/repoMap/cache.ts assembles the final path by joining the config directory with cache/repo-map.
• You can relocate the cache by setting OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR before running the CLI.
• Unit tests in src/context/repoMap/repoMap.test.ts validate the path resolution logic against expected values.

Frequently Asked Questions

What environment variable controls the OpenClaude repo map cache location?

Set OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR to any absolute path. The cache automatically resolves to ${OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR}/cache/repo-map. If the variable is undefined, the system defaults to ~/.openclaude/cache/repo-map according to the logic in src/utils/openclaudePaths.ts.

How can I programmatically retrieve the cache directory path?

Import getCacheDir from src/context/repoMap/cache.ts and call the function. It returns a string containing the absolute path to the repo-map cache directory based on your current environment configuration.

Where does OpenClaude store the cache if I don't set any environment variables?

Without configuration, OpenClaude stores the cache in your home directory at ~/.openclaude/cache/repo-map. The getConfigDir() function in src/utils/openclaudePaths.ts provides this fallback when OPENCLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR is not present.

Which source file defines the cache directory construction logic?

The getCacheDir() function defined in src/context/repoMap/cache.ts constructs the cache path. It relies on getConfigDir() from src/utils/openclaudePaths.ts to determine the base configuration directory before appending the cache/repo-map segment.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}