Recursively delete files older than certain time. Useful for automating clearing log/cache/temporary files.

recursively-purge.php

#!/usr/bin/env php
<?php

/**
 * Entry point of this application.
 */
function main() {
    $folder = "/tmp/storage";

    $timeThreshold = strtotime("-6 months");
    $deletableFile = listDeletableFiles($folder, $timeThreshold);
    foreach ($deletableFile as $file) {
        unlink($file);
    }
}

/**
 * Recursively traverse within `$folder`, list files older than `$timeThreshold` (based on modified time).
 * 
 * @param string $folder Folder path.
 * @param int $timeThreshold UNIX timestamp.
 * @return array List of file paths in string.
 */
function listDeletableFiles($folder, $timeThreshold) {
    $filteredFiles = [];

    $iterator = new RecursiveDirectoryIterator($folder);
    foreach(new RecursiveIteratorIterator($iterator) as $file) {
        if (substr($file->getFilename(), 0, 1) == '.') { // Skip hidden files
            continue;
        }
        elseif ($file->getMTime() < $timeThreshold) {
            $filteredFiles[] = $file->getPathname();
        }
    }

    return $filteredFiles;
}

if (php_sapi_name() == "cli") {
    main();
}