The latest articles on DEV Community by Teethawat Kanpai (@teek4y). https://dev.to/teek4y https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4205580%2F4f18c84a-e443-4f88-90b4-f488b6141337.png https://dev.to/teek4y en Teethawat Kanpai Sat, 24 Oct 2026 23:33:58 +0000 https://dev.to/teek4y/how-long-does-it-take-to-go-through-100-files-i-timed-it-by-hand-vs-a-keyboard-driven-file-234p https://dev.to/teek4y/how-long-does-it-take-to-go-through-100-files-i-timed-it-by-hand-vs-a-keyboard-driven-file-234p <p>I'm the developer of GetSpace, a keyboard-driven file viewer for Mac and Windows, so take the numbers below with a grain of salt. I wanted to know how much time actually goes into going through a folder, so I timed the same job twice.</p> <h2> The test </h2> <p>The job: go through 100 files and sort each one into keep or trash. Two rounds with the file sets swapped, so neither set had an advantage. Both sides were allowed to use bulk delete, and every run was checked against an answer key.</p> <p>By hand in Finder it took about 11 minutes in one round and about 8 in the other, roughly 9 on average. With GetSpace it took about 4 and about 3 minutes, roughly 3.5 on average. That is less than half the time for the same result.</p> <h2> How far to trust it </h2> <p>Not very far. One person, who is also the developer of the tested app, a laptop with 8 GB of RAM, two rounds. It is not a lab study. The video of the test is sped up; the clock in it shows real time. Your folder and your habits will give different numbers.</p> <h2> Where the time goes by hand </h2> <p>Per file: click, open the preview, look, close the preview, trash or leave, find the next file. Each step takes a second or two, but 100 files times five steps is 500 small actions, and each one pulls attention away from the real question: do I still need this?</p> <h2> What helps with built-in tools </h2> <ul> <li>On Mac, press the space bar for Quick Look and use the arrow keys to move on without closing the preview.</li> <li>On Windows, turn on the preview pane in File Explorer (Alt + P).</li> <li>Sort by kind or size first, then select a whole group (Shift / Command, Ctrl on Windows) and trash it in one step.</li> <li>Work in blocks of 15 to 20 minutes so decisions stay quick.</li> </ul> <h2> What a file viewer changes </h2> <p>It removes the switching: one file at a time, large, and the decision is the key you press (keep, trash, skip). Deleting still goes to the system trash first, with a summary before anything is removed.</p> <h2> When it doesn't pay off </h2> <p>If you know which file you're looking for, search is faster. If you only want system junk gone, a system cleaner fits better (CleanMyMac and similar). For a folder of ten files there's little to save. The gain grows with the number of files you have to look at one by one.</p> <p>GetSpace (getspace.site) runs locally, needs no account, and is not related to the cloud service or the phone apps with a similar name. Time yourself on a real folder and tell me what you get, I'd like to hear where it was slower for you.</p> performance productivity software tools