# SelfControlApp/selfcontrol

:skull: Mac app to block your own access to distracting websites etc for a predetermined period of time. It can not be undone by the app or by a restart – you must wait for the timer to run out.

Repository: https://github.com/SelfControlApp/selfcontrol
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/selfcontrol
Homepage: http://selfcontrolapp.com
Language: Objective-C
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Last push: 2026-06-26T17:11:53+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 72/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 89, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 6370, "days_push": 68, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 4388, forks 459 (observed 2026-08-28T04:08:47.181003+00:00)

## What it is
SelfControl is a free, open-source macOS application that blocks your own access to distracting websites, mail servers, or other internet resources for a predetermined period of time. Once started, the block cannot be undone by the app, a restart, or deleting the application until the timer expires.

## Use cases
- block distracting websites while studying
- prevent myself from checking email during deep work
- enforce a focus period that can't be bypassed
- block social media for a set number of hours
- stop procrastinating on the internet
- commit to offline focus time on my Mac

## When to choose
- you need a commitment device that cannot be easily undone mid-session
- you want a free, open-source website blocker on macOS
- willpower alone isn't enough and you need a hard block that survives restarts

## When to avoid
- you need a blocker you can turn off at will
- you're on Windows or Linux
- you need per-user or scheduled parental controls rather than self-imposed blocks

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: security, networking, developer-tools
- domain: developer-tools, privacy, operating-systems
- platform: -
- tags: website-blocker, self-control, focus, productivity, firewall, distraction-blocking, macos, desktop

## Member repositories
- SelfControlApp/selfcontrol (main) score 72

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:47.181003+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T07:22:07.051081+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/SelfControlApp/selfcontrol (fetched 2026-08-28T04:08:47.181003+00:00, sha c7e56f4650dd)
  - homepage: http://selfcontrolapp.com (fetched 2026-08-29T09:09:12.322852+00:00, sha bfb50df680a2)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.