What is this?
Knip is a free and open-source tool that finds unused files, dependencies and exports in your JavaScript and TypeScript projects, so you can cut them before you ship.
Knip is a free and open-source tool that finds unused files, dependencies and exports in your JavaScript and TypeScript projects, so you can cut them before you ship.Is it a command-line tool, a library, or an editor extension?Primarily a CLI: the main knip npm package scans your project from the terminal, with companion packages around it — including an official VS Code extension and an MCP package.
Primarily a CLI: the main knip npm package scans your project from the terminal, with companion packages around it — including an official VS Code extension and an MCP package.How do I run it on my project?Knip is an npm package: add it to your JavaScript or TypeScript project and run it over the codebase, and it reports what is unused. Full setup docs live at knip.dev.
Knip is an npm package: add it to your JavaScript or TypeScript project and run it over the codebase, and it reports what is unused. Full setup docs live at knip.dev.Does it need anything besides Node to run?No — being an npm package, it runs in a plain Node.js environment against your repo; there is no server, account or API key involved.
No — being an npm package, it runs in a plain Node.js environment against your repo; there is no server, account or API key involved.Will it work on projects in other languages, like Python or Go?No — Knip is built specifically for JavaScript and TypeScript codebases; for anything else you would need a different tool.
No — Knip is built specifically for JavaScript and TypeScript codebases; for anything else you would need a different tool.Is there an editor integration, or is it terminal-only?There is an official Knip extension on the VS Code Marketplace (also on Open VSX), built on the @knip/language-server package, alongside the CLI.
There is an official Knip extension on the VS Code Marketplace (also on Open VSX), built on the @knip/language-server package, alongside the CLI.Why bother removing unused dependencies and exports at all?That is the README's whole pitch: less code and fewer dependencies lead to improved performance, less maintenance and easier refactorings.
That is the README's whole pitch: less code and fewer dependencies lead to improved performance, less maintenance and easier refactorings.What does the name Knip mean?It is Dutch for '(to) cut' — hence the scissors in the logo — and is pronounced with a hard 'K'.
It is Dutch for '(to) cut' — hence the scissors in the logo — and is pronounced with a hard 'K'.Does Knip work with AI coding agents?Yes — @knip/mcp is an official companion package for hooking Knip into coding agents over MCP (Model Context Protocol).
Yes — @knip/mcp is an official companion package for hooking Knip into coding agents over MCP (Model Context Protocol).What is @knip/create-config for?It is the official helper for generating a Knip configuration file, so you do not have to write one from scratch when your project needs custom settings.
It is the official helper for generating a Knip configuration file, so you do not have to write one from scratch when your project needs custom settings.What are similar projects?fallow, perch, stylelint, tools, rust-clippy, closure-compiler, mypy, golangci-lint
fallow, perch, stylelint, tools, rust-clippy, closure-compiler, mypy, golangci-lintWhich topics is it in?maintenance, lint, code-analysis, linter, vscode-extension, devtools, code-quality, static-analysis, node, command-line, mcp-server, web-development
maintenance, lint, code-analysis, linter, vscode-extension, devtools, code-quality, static-analysis, node, command-line, mcp-server, web-development