Rename, organize and de-duplicate files with Claude Code

Posted

Jul 25, 2025 by Joni (@JoniYashvili)

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Last checked

Oct 16, 2026

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Method:

How we verify

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Outcome

Claude Code organized and renamed the poster's files and folders and found and removed duplicates; the poster says it worked incredibly well.

Agent

Claude Code

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.

Here's a task I'd like your help with. Read it all the way through before you start.

Goal: Tidy up this folder: give files and folders clear, consistent names, and find duplicate files.

Check with me first: Which folder should you work on, and do I have a naming style in mind?

What I'll give you:
- The folder I want cleaned up
- My preferred naming style, if I have one

Rules:
- Show me the proposed new names and folder layout before you change anything.
- List the duplicates you find and confirm with me before deleting any of them.
- If something is missing or unclear, ask me instead of guessing.
- Stay inside the folder you gave me.
- Stop when the cleanup is done and hand back a summary.

Output: A list of what was renamed, what was moved, and which duplicates were removed.

You'll know it worked when: the folder is easy to browse, names follow one style, and no file appears twice.

Works best when: I have a backup of the folder.

Here's a task I'd like your help with. Read it all the way through before you start.

Goal: Rename files and folders consistently and find duplicates in this folder.

Quick check first: tell me if anything below is missing or unclear.

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Folder path
- Naming style
- Folders to skip
- Files that must keep their names (e.g. linked by other apps)

Rules:
- Show old → new names before renaming.
- Find duplicates by content hash, not name.
- Never delete duplicates; move them to a review folder.
- Keep extensions.
- Use lowercase-with-dashes and ISO dates (YYYY-MM-DD) unless I choose another style.
- Write a CSV log of every rename so it can be reversed.
- Keep both copies when duplicates have different dates; let me choose.
- Do a dry run first: print the full rename and move plan as a table (old path → new path) and wait for my OK.
- Find duplicates by file hash, not by name; keep the oldest copy and move others to a review folder.

Checkpoint: Ask before renaming or moving.

If you get stuck: If a file is locked, skip and report. If a login, CAPTCHA or two-step code appears, stop and ask me to handle it; never guess or store passwords.

Verify before you finish: Count files before and after.

Output: Rename table and duplicates list.

Done when: names are consistent and duplicates are flagged without data loss.

Source

https://x.com/JoniYashvili/status/1948767932202238289