The latest articles on DEV Community by run king (@runking). https://dev.to/runking https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4199864%2F82542b54-7998-428a-96d0-4ddd8f373c5e.jpg https://dev.to/runking en run king Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:56:49 +0000 https://dev.to/runking/building-aion-a-context-aware-auto-quit-manager-for-macos-63b https://dev.to/runking/building-aion-a-context-aware-auto-quit-manager-for-macos-63b <p>I built Aion to solve a small but persistent Mac problem: apps left open after their work is done. A timer alone is not enough — an app that looks idle may still be downloading a file, playing audio, or keeping a call alive.</p> <p>Aion checks whether an app is truly idle before quitting it. It protects downloads, media playback, microphone and camera use, unsaved work, and local automation. You can set per-app timeouts and different rules for work, meetings, and personal time. The checks run locally on your Mac; app activity history is not uploaded.</p> <p>The hard part was making cleanup predictable without getting in the way. I focused on making the reason an app was protected visible, keeping app-specific rules configurable, and treating active work as the default reason not to quit.</p> <p>Aion is for macOS 14+ (Intel and Apple Silicon), with a free tier and a one-time Pro purchase. It is also available on Setapp.</p> <p>I would love feedback from people with busy Mac workflows: what kinds of activity should an auto-quit tool recognize next?</p> <p><a href="https://aion.7caifei.com/?ref=devto" rel="noopener noreferrer">Learn more about Aion</a></p> buildinpublic programming productivity automation