About Mogakgong and common questions

Mogakgong is an online study room modeled on an old university library. You walk in, sit down, and work alongside whoever else is there. No sign-up, no camera, no sound.

What this study room is

It runs in your browser. You pick coding or studying, then walk your cat character to an empty chair. When you sit, your timer starts counting up, and you can see the name, status and timer of everyone else in the room.

The name comes from Korean. Mogakgong is short for mo-yeo-seo gak-ja gong-bu, "gather, then each study on your own." The coding version is called mogakco.

Why study with other people around

Working while someone else is present is often called body doubling. Formal research on it is thin, so we won't promise that it works for you. Our guide on silent study sessions covers what it is and how to set one up.

Many online versions are video calls or booked sessions. This one has nothing to schedule and no camera. If you want someone checking on you, a camera room may suit you better. This comparison goes through the trade-offs.

How it works

• The first time, pick coding or studying. When you sit, a laptop or a notebook appears on your desk.
• Walk into an empty chair to sit. Your timer counts up like a stopwatch and your desk lamp turns on. Move again to get up.
• It isn't Pomodoro. There is no alarm at 25 minutes. Here's why.
• Chat is off while you sit. To talk, you stand up, and that pauses your timer.
• Set a nickname and a short status above your head, like Job hunting or Thesis due.
• There are 80 seats in the reading room. The door by the entrance leads to a room with 32 cubicle desks.
• The windows follow the time and weather for your time zone. We don't ask for your location.

What it doesn't have

There is no camera, microphone or sound, and there are no study stats, rankings or apps. It also doesn't check whether you have left your desk. While the tab is visible, your timer keeps counting with no input. If you hide the tab for more than 2 minutes, you stand up automatically.

Questions

What is Mogakgong?

An online study room in a 3D library that runs in your browser. You pick coding or studying, walk to an empty chair, and sit down. Your timer counts up while you stay seated, and you can see the name, status and timer of everyone else in the room.

Do I need an account or a camera?

No. There is no sign-up, no camera and no microphone. You get an automatic name, and you can change it and set a short status above your head from your profile.

Is it a Pomodoro timer?

No. There is no alarm at 25 minutes. The timer counts up until you stand and picks up where it left off when you sit back down. If you switch tabs or minimize the window for more than 2 minutes, you stand up automatically.

Does it keep my study history?

Only today's time. If you come back on the same device before midnight Korea time, it carries over, and it resets to zero at midnight Korea time. It is kept only in server memory, so a restart or deploy can clear it. There are no study stats, rankings or apps.

Can I chat with other people?

Only when you are standing. Chat is off while you sit. Standing up pauses your timer and lets you send short messages, up to 30 characters. The first time you enter, chat opens after 60 seconds.

Is it free?

Yes. Everything is free right now and there is no payment screen.

How many people can be in a room?

Up to 80 in a room. There are 80 seats in the reading room and 32 in the room with cubicle desks. When a room fills up, new visitors go to the next one.

Weather data by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).