Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Things VS Parasite Debugger

Compare Things VS Parasite Debugger and see what are their differences

Things logo Things

Things is an easy to use task manager.

Parasite Debugger logo Parasite Debugger

Parasite is a debugging and development tool that runs inside your GTK+ application's process. It can inspect your application, giving you detailed information on your UI, such as the hierarchy, X window IDs, widget properties, and more.
  • Things Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-17
  • Parasite Debugger Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-02-12

Things features and specs

  • User Experience
    Things is known for its clean, intuitive, and beautifully designed user interface, making it easy to use.
  • Integration with Apple Ecosystem
    Seamlessly integrates with macOS and iOS devices, offering features like Handoff and deep Apple Calendar integration.
  • Powerful Task Management
    Supports projects, areas, headings, and tags, providing a robust system for managing complex tasks and workflows.
  • Quick Entry
    Provides a quick entry function allowing users to capture tasks efficiently, which can later be categorized and detailed.
  • Updates and Support
    Regularly updated with new features and enhancements, backed by reliable customer support.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
    Offers extensive keyboard shortcuts for power users to navigate and manage tasks quickly.
  • Natural Language Processing
    Allows users to input tasks using natural language, which is then intelligently parsed and scheduled.

Possible disadvantages of Things

  • Cost
    Things requires a one-time purchase for each platform (macOS, iOS), making it relatively expensive compared to some subscription-based competitors.
  • Platform Limitation
    Only available on Apple devices (macOS and iOS), making it inaccessible for users on Windows, Android, or other platforms.
  • No Collaboration Features
    Lacks built-in collaboration tools, which can be a drawback for teams looking to share and manage tasks collectively.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic interface is user-friendly, fully utilizing advanced features can require time and a deeper understanding.
  • Limited Automation
    Offers fewer automation options and integrations compared to some competitors like Todoist or Microsoft To Do.

Parasite Debugger features and specs

  • Real-time GTK+ inspection
    Parasite (now known as GtkInspector) allows developers to inspect and modify GTK+ widget properties in real-time, making it easy to understand widget hierarchies and debug UI issues without restarting the application.
  • CSS debugging support
    The tool provides the ability to view and edit CSS styles applied to GTK+ widgets on the fly, which is extremely useful for theming and styling troubleshooting.
  • Widget tree navigation
    It offers a clear, interactive widget tree view that lets developers navigate through the entire UI hierarchy, making it straightforward to locate specific widgets and understand the structure of complex interfaces.
  • No code modification required
    Parasite can be attached to running GTK+ applications without requiring any changes to the application's source code, allowing developers to debug third-party or pre-built applications easily.
  • Open source and free
    The tool is completely open source and free to use, making it accessible to all GTK+ developers regardless of budget, and the community can contribute improvements and fixes.

Possible disadvantages of Parasite Debugger

  • Limited to GTK+ applications
    Parasite is specifically designed for GTK+ applications only, so it cannot be used to debug UIs built with other toolkits like Qt, wxWidgets, or web-based frameworks.
  • Superseded by GtkInspector
    The original Parasite project has been largely deprecated and absorbed into GTK+ 3.14+ as the built-in GtkInspector, meaning the standalone tool is no longer actively maintained and may not work with newer GTK versions.
  • Limited documentation
    The project has relatively sparse documentation and learning resources, which can make it challenging for new users to discover and utilize all of its features effectively.
  • No support for GTK 4 as standalone tool
    As a standalone project, Parasite was designed for older GTK+ versions and does not support GTK 4, requiring users to switch to the built-in GtkInspector for modern GTK development.
  • Linux-centric ecosystem
    While GTK+ is cross-platform, Parasite and its debugging workflow are primarily geared toward Linux environments, and setup on other operating systems like Windows or macOS can be cumbersome or poorly supported.

Analysis of Things

Overall verdict

  • Things is widely regarded as an excellent productivity tool, especially for Apple ecosystem users. It combines elegance with functionality, making it a top choice for those who prefer a minimalist but powerful task manager.

Why this product is good

  • Things by Cultured Code is highly acclaimed for its clean, intuitive design and effective task management features. It provides a seamless user experience with its natural language input, powerful integration with macOS and iOS, and features like projects, areas, deadlines, and reminders that help users organize their tasks efficiently. The app is particularly praised for its focus on simplicity and ease of use, which allows users to focus on their tasks without being overwhelmed by features.

Recommended for

    Things is ideal for individuals who are deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem and appreciate a minimalist design approach. It's perfect for users who prefer a straightforward, no-frills task management system that emphasizes ease of use, efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

Analysis of Parasite Debugger

Overall verdict

  • Parasite Debugger is a niche, open-source developer tool (by Christian Hammond, chipx86) rather than a mainstream commercial product; it appears to be a legacy or experimental project, so its value depends heavily on your specific technical needs rather than broad consumer appeal.

Why this product is good

  • It's open-source, so the code is transparent and can be inspected or modified freely
  • Created by a known developer with a track record (chipx86 is associated with projects like Review Board)
  • May offer specialized debugging capabilities not found in mainstream tools
  • Free to use, lowering the barrier to try it out

Recommended for

  • Developers looking for niche or experimental debugging utilities
  • Users comfortable with open-source tools that may have limited documentation or support
  • Those already familiar with chipx86's other projects and coding style
  • Hobbyists or engineers needing a specific debugging use case not covered by mainstream debuggers

Things videos

Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews: THINGS

More videos:

  • Review - Things 3: Full Review (2019)
  • Review - OmniFocus vs. Things 3 review: which is best for you?

Parasite Debugger videos

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

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Things and Parasite Debugger)
Task Management
99 99%
1% 1
Debugger
0 0%
100% 100
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Things and Parasite Debugger

Things Reviews

11 Ayanza Alternatives
Things 3 is a multi-award-winning personal task manager that assists you in keeping track of your tasks. The environment of the application is attractive with a fresh new look, delightful integrations, and powerful features. It has been completely effective to boost efficiency with easy to use and is attractive to the eye. The themes are a creative and powerful feature that...
Five of the Best To-Do Apps for iOS
Things 3 is one of the few to-do apps that's not subscription based, and it costs $9.99 to purchase. Things 3 is also available for Mac and iPad, though each app must be purchased individually.

Parasite Debugger Reviews

We have no reviews of Parasite Debugger yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Things seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 58 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.

Things mentions (58)

  • We don't need startups, we need Digital-Mittelstand
    Correct: https://culturedcode.com/things/ Looks like the different apps (desktop, mobile, iPad) have different prices, but all are one-time payments of $10-$50. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Essential Software for Mac Users: Three Recommended Efficient Tools
    Things 3is an award-winning task management application known for its clean, elegant interface and intuitive usability. It employs a minimalist design style, allowing users to easily add, organize, and view tasks, helping individuals efficiently manage daily affairs. While Things 3 does not support team collaboration features, it provides a smooth user experience on macOS as a personal task management tool. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Show HN: I built a task manager that separates "Do" & "Due" dates
    How badly do Twos want to SEO rank on searches for Things? https://culturedcode.com/things/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: What macOS apps/programs do you use daily and recommend?
    Alfred - Productivity App for macOS [1] iTerm2 - macOS Terminal Replacement [2] Dropshare App - upload anything anywhere on macOS [3] Mimestream - A native macOS email client for Gmail [4] Things - To-Do List for Mac & iOS [5] [1] https://www.alfredapp.com [2] https://iterm2.com [3] https://dropshare.app [4] https://mimestream.com [5] https://culturedcode.com/things. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Ready to advance from Evernote, looking at Obsidian
    Currently, I use Things (https://culturedcode.com/things/) for tasks and Evernote for notes, and experimented with Freeform (I love the visual aspect and simplicity). At work, I've used Notion, Mural, Miro, LucidChart, Quip, and many other collaboration-based knowledge systems. I never researched the best of personal knowledge systems until now. Source: almost 3 years ago
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Parasite Debugger mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Things and Parasite Debugger, you can also consider the following products

Todoist - Todoist is a to-do list that helps you get organized, at work and in life.

TickTick - TickTickis a cross-platform to-do list app & task manager helps you to get all things done and make life well organized.

Remember The Milk - Remember The Milk is a task and time management application for mobile devices.

Trello - Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.

Any.DO - The #1 task management app used by over 11 million people globally, Any.do is your free mobile and online task manager for Android, iPhone, Web and more.

Asana - Asana project management is an effort to re-imagine how we work together, through modern productivity software. Fast and versatile, Asana helps individuals and groups get more done.