Pros of hosts

• More comprehensive blocklist with multiple curated sources
• Platform-agnostic, can be used on various operating systems
• Regular updates and active community contributions

Cons of hosts

• Requires manual installation and updating on devices
• May block legitimate domains, requiring more user intervention
• Less user-friendly for non-technical users

Code comparison

hosts:

0.0.0.0 example.com
0.0.0.0 ads.example.com

AdAway:

<item>example.com</item>
<item>ads.example.com</item>

Key differences

1. Implementation: hosts uses a simple hosts file format, while AdAway uses XML for its blocklist.
2. Target platform: hosts is platform-agnostic, whereas AdAway is specifically designed for Android devices.
3. User interface: AdAway provides a graphical interface for managing blocked domains, while hosts requires manual editing of the hosts file.
4. Customization: hosts offers various pre-configured lists, allowing users to choose their preferred level of blocking, while AdAway focuses on a single, curated list.
5. Update mechanism: AdAway can automatically update its blocklist within the app, whereas hosts requires manual updates or script automation.

Both projects aim to block unwanted domains, but they cater to different user needs and technical expertise levels. hosts is more versatile but requires more manual intervention, while AdAway offers a more streamlined experience for Android users.

Pros of Pi-hole

• Network-wide ad blocking for all devices
• Detailed statistics and monitoring capabilities
• Can be run on a dedicated device (e.g., Raspberry Pi)

Cons of Pi-hole

• Requires separate hardware or virtual machine setup
• More complex initial configuration compared to AdAway

Code Comparison

AdAway (Java):

private void applyHostsFile() {
    CommandCapture command = new CommandCapture(0, "su", "-c", "mount -o rw,remount /system");
    try {
        RootTools.getShell(true).add(command).waitForFinish();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        Log.e(Constants.TAG, "Failed to remount /system read-write", e);
    }
}

Pi-hole (Shell script):

gravity_SwapSpaces() {
    local str="Swapping spaces in gravity domains"
    printf "%s..." "$str"
    sed -i 's/[[:blank:]]/\t/g' "${gravityDBfile}"
    printf "%s\\n" "${OVER}  ${TICK} ${str}"
}

Both projects aim to block ads, but Pi-hole operates at the network level, while AdAway modifies the hosts file on Android devices. Pi-hole offers more comprehensive blocking and monitoring features, but requires a dedicated setup. AdAway is simpler to install and use on individual Android devices but lacks network-wide protection.

Pros of GoodbyeAds

• Larger blocklist with more comprehensive coverage of ads and trackers
• Regular updates to the blocklist, often daily
• Includes specialized lists for specific platforms (e.g., Samsung, Xiaomi)

Cons of GoodbyeAds

• May be more aggressive, potentially blocking some non-ad content
• Less user-friendly interface compared to AdAway's Android app
• Requires manual installation and updating of hosts files

Code Comparison

AdAway uses a local VPN to block ads, while GoodbyeAds primarily relies on hosts file modification. Here's a simplified example of how each might block a domain:

AdAway (Java):

if (isBlockedDomain(request.getHost())) {
    return new DnsResponse(DnsResponse.TYPE_NXDOMAIN);
}

GoodbyeAds (hosts file):

0.0.0.0 ads.example.com
0.0.0.0 tracker.example.com

Both projects aim to block ads and trackers, but they use different approaches. AdAway offers a more integrated solution for Android users, while GoodbyeAds provides a broader, more frequently updated blocklist that can be used across various platforms and devices.

Pros of blacklist

• Offers a more extensive list of domains to block, including social media trackers and adult content
• Provides separate lists for different purposes (e.g., Facebook, porn, fake news), allowing for more granular control
• Regularly updated with community contributions

Cons of blacklist

• Requires manual implementation and doesn't provide a user-friendly app interface
• May cause over-blocking and require more user intervention to whitelist desired domains
• Lacks built-in tools for managing hosts files or system-wide ad blocking

Code comparison

AdAway:

public class AdAway extends Activity {
    private static final int MENU_HOSTS = Menu.FIRST;
    private static final int MENU_REDIRECTION = Menu.FIRST + 1;
    private static final int MENU_PREFERENCES = Menu.FIRST + 2;
}

blacklist:

0.0.0.0 graph.facebook.com
0.0.0.0 ads.facebook.com
0.0.0.0 an.facebook.com
0.0.0.0 pixel.facebook.com

Note: The code comparison is limited as blacklist primarily consists of domain lists rather than application code.

Pros of youTube_ads_4_pi-hole

• Specifically targets YouTube ads, providing a more focused solution
• Designed for use with Pi-hole, a popular network-wide ad blocker
• Regularly updated to keep up with YouTube's ad-serving methods

Cons of youTube_ads_4_pi-hole

• Limited to blocking YouTube ads only, unlike AdAway's broader approach
• Requires Pi-hole setup, which may be more complex for some users
• May not work as effectively on mobile devices or outside the home network

Code Comparison

AdAway (Java):

public class AdAway extends Activity {
    private static final int MENU_HOSTS = Menu.FIRST;
    private static final int MENU_REDIRECTION_LIST = Menu.FIRST + 1;
    private static final int MENU_TCPDUMP = Menu.FIRST + 2;
}

youTube_ads_4_pi-hole (Python):

def get_youtube_domains():
    domains = []
    for i in range(0, len(lines)):
        if "googlevideo.com" in lines[i]:
            domain = lines[i].split()[2]
            domains.append(domain)
    return domains

The code snippets show that AdAway is written in Java and has a more complex structure, while youTube_ads_4_pi-hole uses Python and focuses on extracting YouTube-specific domains. This reflects their different scopes and approaches to ad blocking.