The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source xbar puts anything in your macOS menu bar (Interview)
Jun 21, 2021
Mat Ryer, a creator known for his work on the GoTime podcast, shares insights about xbar, his open-source tool for enhancing the macOS menu bar. He discusses the transition from BitBar to xbar, emphasizing its rewrite in Go and future cross-platform capabilities. Ryer reflects on community contributions and the collaborative spirit in software development. Listeners will also enjoy the humorous anecdotes about podcast rivalries and the balance of sponsorship in indie projects, making it a delightful listen for developers and tech enthusiasts alike.
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BitBar Origin
- Matt Ryer created BitBar to display Bitcoin price in his Mac menu bar because no app existed for this.
- He initially owned 16 Bitcoin, motivating him to build the tool.
Accidental Extensibility
- BitBar's extensibility arose accidentally from Ryer's Objective-C limitations, leading to a subprocess-based design.
- This allowed any script's output to populate the menu bar, attracting developers and fostering a plugin ecosystem.
Hacker News Boom
- BitBar gained popularity after a Hacker News post, leading to 65 pull requests in one day.
- Ryer took a day off work to manage the sudden influx of contributions and community interaction.