rendelete

Rendelete is a software tool designed to automate the lifecycle management of render-related data across production pipelines. It focuses on the automatic deletion of temporary and intermediate assets after a render job completes, while preserving essential deliverables and logs. The goal is to minimize storage overhead and reduce manual cleanup in studios, cloud rendering environments, and broadcast workflows.

Rendelete provides a core engine that coordinates with render managers, asset management systems, and storage backends. It supports a policy language to define retention rules by asset type, project, or region, enabling time-based, event-based, or usage-based deletion. Interfaces include a command-line client, a REST API, and software development kits for common languages. The architecture is modular, with plug-ins to support different renderers and file systems.

Typical features include scheduled cleanups, dry-run mode, audit trails, safe-delete options that move assets to cold storage before final deletion, and role-based access control. The system aims to be cross-platform and scalable, suitable for on-premises farms and cloud-based pipelines.

In practice, Rendelete is used to clear caches, frame sequences, and intermediate renders after delivery or handoff. It can be configured to retain final outputs, logs, and project metadata, while deleting transient data after a configurable grace period or upon task completion. It emphasizes safety and traceability through versioned backups and comprehensive audit logs.

Critics caution about potential data loss if policies are misconfigured and stress the need for backups, testing, and proper access controls. Proponents highlight storage savings, consistency across pipelines, and reduced manual maintenance.