How to run eclipse in clean mode? what happens if we do so?

If something is not working properly or some plug-ins are not loaded properly in my Eclipse I often get suggestion to open Eclipse in clean mode.

So, how to run in clean mode? And what happens if I do so?

What it does:

> if set to "true", any cached data used > by the OSGi framework and eclipse > runtime will be wiped clean. This will > clean the caches used to store bundle > dependency resolution and eclipse > extension registry data. Using this > option will force eclipse to > reinitialize these caches.

How to use it:

• Edit the eclipse.ini file located in your Eclipse install directory and insert -clean as the first line.
• Or edit the shortcut you use to start Eclipse and add -clean as the first argument.
• Or create a batch or shell script that calls the Eclipse executable with the -clean argument. The advantage to this step is you can keep the script around and use it each time you want to clean out the workspace. You can name it something like eclipse-clean.bat (or eclipse-clean.sh).

(From: http://www.eclipsezone.com/eclipse/forums/t61566.html)

Other eclipse command line options: http://help.eclipse.org/indigo/index.jsp?topic=%2Forg.eclipse.platform.doc.isv%2Freference%2Fmisc%2Fruntime-options.html

For clean mode: start the platform like

eclipse -clean

That's all. The platform will clear some cached OSGi bundle information, it helps or is recommended if you install new plugins manually or remove unused plugins.

It will not affect any workspace related data.

You can start Eclipse in clean mode from the command line:

eclipse -clean

Using the -clean option is the way to go, as mentioned by the other answers.

Make sure that you remove it from your .ini or shortcut after you've fixed the problem. It causes Eclipse to reevaluate all of the plugins everytime it starts and can dramatically increase startup time, depending on how many Eclipse plugins you have installed.

• click on short cut
• right click -> properties
• add -clean in target clause and then start.

it will take much time then normal start and it will fresh up all resources.

For Mac OS X Yosemite I was able to use the open command.

Usage: open [-e] [-t] [-f] [-W] [-R] [-n] [-g] [-h] [-b <bundle identifier>] [-a <application>] [filenames] [--args arguments]
Help: Open opens files from a shell.
      By default, opens each file using the default application for that file.  
      If the file is in the form of a URL, the file will be opened as a URL.
Options: 
      -a                Opens with the specified application.
      -b                Opens with the specified application bundle identifier.
      -e                Opens with TextEdit.
      -t                Opens with default text editor.
      -f                Reads input from standard input and opens with TextEdit.
      -F  --fresh       Launches the app fresh, that is, without restoring windows. Saved persistent state is lost, excluding Untitled documents.
      -R, --reveal      Selects in the Finder instead of opening.
      -W, --wait-apps   Blocks until the used applications are closed (even if they were already running).
          --args        All remaining arguments are passed in argv to the application's main() function instead of opened.
      -n, --new         Open a new instance of the application even if one is already running.
      -j, --hide        Launches the app hidden.
      -g, --background  Does not bring the application to the foreground.
      -h, --header      Searches header file locations for headers matching the given filenames, and opens them.

This worked for me:

open eclipse.app --args clean

Easier option is to use ./eclipse -clean

For Windows users: You can do as RTA said or through command line do this: Navigate to the locaiton of the eclipse executable then run:

 eclipse.lnk -clean

First check the name of your executable using the command 'dir' on its path

Two ways to run eclipse in clean mode.

1 ) In Eclipse.ini file

• Open the eclipse.ini file located in the Eclipse installation directory.
  
• Add -clean first line in the file.
  
• Save the file.
  
• Restart Eclipse.

2 ) From Command prompt (cmd/command)

• Go to folder where Eclipse installed.
  
• Take the path of Eclipse
  
• C:..\eclipse\eclipse.exe -clean
  
• press enter button
  

This will clean the caches used to store bundle dependency resolution and eclipse extension registry data. Using this option will force eclipse to reinitialize these caches.

1. Open command prompt (cmd)
2. Go to eclipse application location (D:\eclipse)
3. Run command eclipse -clean