whatisgithub

What is rewire?

inconshreveable/rewire — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-08-03 · repo last pushed 2013-10-20

7CoffeeScriptAudience · writerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · moderate

In one sentence

Rewire is a behavioral intervention tool that intercepts your urge to visit distracting websites and redirects that impulse toward productive actions. It is built in CoffeeScript and designed to run in a browser or as a lightweight local utility.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Intercepts distracting website visits
      Prompts productive action instead
      Retains daily routines
    Tech stack
      CoffeeScript
      JavaScript runtime
      Browser-based utility
    Use cases
      Redirect social media urges
      Stay focused while writing
      Break mindless browsing habit
    Audience
      Founders struggling with focus
      Writers avoiding distraction
      Habit retrainers

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Redirect your impulse to check social media into a prompt to work on your current task.

USE CASE 2

Stay focused while writing by intercepting the habit of opening distracting tabs in moments of difficulty.

USE CASE 3

Retrain your daily browsing routines by catching wasted moments and turning them toward meaningful actions.

What is it built with?

CoffeeScriptJavaScript

How does it compare?

inconshreveable/rewireskevy/atlas-backendomgitsads/coffeescript-twitter-streamer
Stars753
LanguageCoffeeScriptCoffeeScriptCoffeeScript
Last pushed2013-10-202013-08-232011-05-09
MaintenanceDormantDormantDormant
Setup difficultymoderatemoderatemoderate
Complexity2/53/53/5
Audiencewriterdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

No documentation is included, so you will need to read the CoffeeScript source to understand how to configure and run it.

So what is it?

Rewire is a tool designed to help you break the habit of mindlessly browsing distracting websites and redirect that time toward things you actually want to accomplish. The core idea is to intercept the urge to check social media, news, or other time sinks, and transform that impulse into a productive action. Because the repository has no documentation included, the exact mechanics of how it works are not explained by the creator. However, based on the project's description, it functions as a behavioral intervention tool. It likely intercepts requests to distracting websites and prompts you to do something more meaningful instead, turning wasted moments into useful ones. This kind of tool would appeal to anyone who struggles with focus and online distraction. For example, if you are a founder or writer who keeps opening a new tab to check Twitter every time you hit a difficult paragraph, this tool aims to catch that habit and prompt you to get back to work. It is built for people who want a system that helps them actively retrain their daily routines rather than just block sites entirely. One notable detail is that the project is written in CoffeeScript, a language that compiles into JavaScript. This suggests the tool was built to run in a browser environment or as a lightweight local utility, making it relatively simple to modify. Without further details from the developer, though, the exact setup and specific features remain unclear.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Help me set up a browser-based tool in CoffeeScript that intercepts requests to distracting websites like Twitter and Reddit, and instead prompts me to do a productive task like writing or coding. Walk me through intercepting web requests in a browser extension context.
Prompt 2
I want to build a habit-breaking tool that catches me when I try to open distracting websites and redirects me to something productive. Write a CoffeeScript browser utility that intercepts navigation to sites I list and shows me a prompt to choose a better action instead.
Prompt 3
Help me modify an existing CoffeeScript behavioral intervention tool so it redirects my urge to check news and social media into a reminder to work on my current writing project. Add a configurable list of distracting sites and replacement actions.

Frequently asked questions

What is rewire?

Rewire is a behavioral intervention tool that intercepts your urge to visit distracting websites and redirects that impulse toward productive actions. It is built in CoffeeScript and designed to run in a browser or as a lightweight local utility.

What language is rewire written in?

Mainly CoffeeScript. The stack also includes CoffeeScript, JavaScript.

Is rewire actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2013-10-20).

How hard is rewire to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is rewire for?

Mainly writer.

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