Automatic time tracking needs a background process watching which app or window has focus — a real OS-level integration, not a form to fill in. Once that data is flowing, the reporting on top is the easy part.
VIBE SCORE 89/100
The parts this build actually needs, each rated on its own — the average is the Vibe Score above.
| Landing page | 99 |
| CRUD database | 95 |
| OS-level integration | 72 |
Don't feel like building it? These are already made, open-source, and free.
Borderline. Automatic time tracking needs a background process watching which app or window has focus — a real OS-level integration, not a form to fill in. Once that data is flowing, the reporting on top is the easy part.
RescueTime costs $12/mo (about $144/yr) as of 2026-08. That's what a working rebuild would save you.
Reliably detecting the focused app/window across macOS, Windows, and Linux needs real OS-level integration work per platform Their goal-setting and 'FocusTime' website-blocking features are a second product on top of raw tracking Detecting idle time accurately (you stepped away but left a window open) takes real care to avoid overcounting
Yes — ActivityWatch are open-source options worth trying before you build your own. Details are in the standard parts section on this page.