Question 1

How accurate is Voight-Kampff for detecting modern bots?

Accepted Answer

It's effective for common bots listed in the open-source JSON, but accuracy depends on the list's updates. Since it only checks user agents, sophisticated bots that spoof strings or use headless browsers might bypass detection.

Question 2

How to add custom bot patterns in Voight-Kampff?

Accepted Answer

Run the rake task `voight_kampff:import_user_agents` to download the JSON file, then manually edit it in the ./config directory. The patterns are regex-based, so you can add new entries to match specific user agents.

Question 3

Can I use Voight-Kampff with Sinatra or other Rack apps?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by requiring 'voight_kampff/rack' in your Gemfile, it extends Rack::Request, so you can use request.bot? in any Rack-based application, including Sinatra, as mentioned in the configuration section.

Question 4

Voight-Kampff vs rack-attack for bot blocking: which is better?

Accepted Answer

Voight-Kampff focuses on user agent detection for identifying bots, while rack-attack is broader for rate limiting and blocking. Use Voight-Kampff for simple bot filtering; rack-attack if you need complex rules or IP-based blocking.

Question 5

What happens if a bot isn't in the list?

Accepted Answer

It won't be detected, leading to false negatives. The README suggests contributing to the upstream list or running the update rake task, but there's no built-in fallback for unknown bots.

Question 6

How often should I update the bot list?

Accepted Answer

Regularly, especially if you notice missed bots. The gem doesn't auto-update, so monitor the source list and run the rake task periodically to import new patterns, as advised in the FAQ section.

Voight-Kampff

What is Voight-Kampff?

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