How often is /tmp cleaned?

The cleaning frequency of the /tmp directory in Linux can vary based on the specific distribution and its configuration. Here are some common practices:

1. On Reboot: Many Linux distributions automatically clear the /tmp directory upon system reboot. This helps to remove temporary files that are no longer needed.

2. Time-based Cleanup: Some systems may have a scheduled job (like a cron job) that periodically cleans up files in /tmp that have not been accessed for a certain period (e.g., older than a few days).

3. Systemd-tmpfiles: On systems using systemd, the systemd-tmpfiles service can manage the cleanup of /tmp based on configuration files. This can include removing files older than a specified age.

4. Manual Cleanup: Users can also manually clean the /tmp directory using commands like rm to remove specific files or rm -rf /tmp/* to clear all files.

To determine the exact behavior on your system, you can check the configuration files related to tmpfiles.d or the specific settings of your Linux distribution.