File cache table excessively large (and does not shrink after data removal) / Nextcloud should defragment file cache table

Problem My nextcloud instance (small-scale, single-server setup, 6 users) has an excessively large database size (20 GB as of today). This size doesn't sensibly relate to the amount of data managed (approx. 1 TB, now reduced to 4.3 GB). I have found that almost all of the 20GB is located in a single table, the file cache: This file seems to grow and grow, but never shrinks. Further details • My nextcloud used to manage roughly 1TB of data, most of them located on external storage (external disks attached to my server). • External storage was included through nextcloud’s “external storage” app as “Local”. • I have since removed all external storage from my nextcloud instance: • The data managed by my nextcloud instance is now only 4.3 GB (compared to 1 TB before). Surely this should reduce the file cache? • I have called “files:scan” and “files:cleanup”, but to no effect: Here’s something I don’t understand: there should be tho…