Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

SelfControl VS jRuby

Compare SelfControl VS jRuby and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.

jRuby logo jRuby

A high performance, stable, fully threaded Java implementation of the Ruby programming language
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19
  • jRuby Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-24

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

jRuby features and specs

  • Performance
    JRuby runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which allows it to leverage the JVM's performance optimizations like just-in-time compilation, potentially making it faster than traditional Ruby interpreters.
  • Java Integration
    JRuby allows seamless integration with Java libraries and frameworks, enabling developers to utilize the vast ecosystem of Java packages and tools alongside Ruby code.
  • Concurrency
    Thanks to the JVM's native threading capabilities, JRuby can offer better support for concurrent execution of code, potentially leading to improved performance in multi-threaded applications.
  • Mature Ecosystem
    JRuby inherits the mature tooling and extensive ecosystem from Java, including robust IDEs, debugging tools, and monitoring systems, which can enhance development and deployment processes.
  • Cross-Platform
    Running on the JVM allows JRuby to be inherently cross-platform, making it easier to deploy applications across different operating systems without requiring platform-specific adaptations.

Possible disadvantages of jRuby

  • Startup Time
    JRuby can have a longer startup time due to the initialization overhead of the JVM, which can be a disadvantage for applications that require rapid startup and shutdown times.
  • Memory Usage
    Applications running on the JVM tend to have higher memory usage compared to native Ruby interpreters, which can be a concern for resource-constrained environments.
  • Compatibility
    Although JRuby aims for compatibility with CRuby, there can be differences or limitations, particularly with C extensions, which can restrict the usage of certain Ruby gems not written in pure Ruby.
  • Complexity
    Integrating JRuby into a Java ecosystem might add complexity, especially for teams not familiar with the JVM, Java build tools, or Java ecosystem practices.
  • Community Size
    JRuby, while popular, does not have as large a community as CRuby (the standard Ruby interpreter), which may result in fewer resources or smaller community-driven support avenues compared to CRuby.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

Analysis of jRuby

Overall verdict

  • JRuby is a mature, high-performance implementation of Ruby on the Java Virtual Machine that offers a compelling option for developers who need Ruby's expressiveness combined with the JVM's ecosystem, concurrency capabilities, and enterprise integration.

Why this product is good

  • Runs Ruby code on the JVM, giving access to Java libraries and the broad Java ecosystem
  • True multithreading without a Global Interpreter Lock, enabling better use of multi-core hardware
  • Strong performance for long-running applications thanks to JVM JIT compilation and mature garbage collection
  • Seamless interoperability that lets you call Java classes from Ruby and vice versa
  • Compatible with much of the standard Ruby language and many popular gems and frameworks like Rails
  • Backed by an active open-source community and a long, stable development history
  • Enables deployment on Java application servers and integration into existing Java/enterprise infrastructure

Recommended for

  • Teams that want to write Ruby but deploy on JVM-based enterprise infrastructure
  • Applications needing true parallelism and heavy concurrency across multiple cores
  • Developers who need to leverage existing Java libraries within Ruby projects
  • Long-running services that benefit from JVM performance and tooling
  • Organizations standardized on the JVM but wanting Ruby's developer productivity

SelfControl videos

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

jRuby videos

No jRuby videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to SelfControl and jRuby)
Time Tracking
100 100%
0% 0
Programming Language
0 0%
100% 100
Time Management
100 100%
0% 0
OOP
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 79 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

SelfControl mentions (79)

  • Oregon School Cell Phone Ban: 'Engaged Students, Joyful Teachers'
    A combination of https://selfcontrolapp.com/ and Hammerspoon automation and you can lock yourself out of pretty much everything. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Kiki โ€“ The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
    Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    I have found that a useful method for getting distractions off my work laptop has been https://selfcontrolapp.com/ (if you're on mac). - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Using an $8 smart outlet to avoid brainrot
    Pro tip for macos/ios folks: - Macos: Install https://selfcontrolapp.com/, add every website and their alternatives you know, set it to 24 hours. Really hard to bypass this even if you know networking stuff - iOS: Enable downtime 24/7 ask someone else to set the password. I'm down to about 35 minutes a day of mobile usage, and laptop usage is only work related things. You really need two or three days to clear... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

jRuby mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of jRuby yet. Tracking of jRuby recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing SelfControl and jRuby, you can also consider the following products

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

RubyGems - RubyGems. org is the Ruby community's gem hosting service. Instantly publish your gems and then install them. Use the API find out more about available gems. Become a contributor and improve the site yourself.

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

Scala Lang - Scala is a pure-bred object-oriented language that runs on the JVM

Focus App - New Tab page that gives you a moment of calm and inspires you to be more productive.

JavaScript - Lightweight, interpreted, object-oriented language with first-class functions