Timer CLI Application
Timer CLI is a lightweight command-line utility designed for Linux systems that tracks the amount of active usage time versus idle time
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>log in to commentI built timerCLI to help me track active versus idle time on Linux, and it automatically pauses when I'm away. It runs in the terminal and logs my work sessions without extra effort. Let me know what you think!
Timer CLI is a lightweight command-line tool that tracks active versus idle usage time on Linux and Windows.
- for
- Developers and power users who want to monitor their computer usage from the terminal.
- pricing
- open source
- license
- MIT
- v1.0.3Timer CLI v1.0.3 - Windows support a month ago
- v1.0.2Timer CLI v1.0.2 - AppImage release a month ago
- v1.0.1Timer CLI v1.0.1 - AppImage release a month ago
Key features
- Automatic idle detection — Pauses the timer when no keyboard, mouse, or touch input is detected for a configurable period.
- Cross-platform binaries — Provides an AppImage for Linux and a standalone .exe for Windows without requiring Python.
- Standard library only — Runs with Python 3.8+ and uses only built-in modules, no external dependencies.
- Simple installation — Download the binary, make it executable, and run; or clone the repo and execute the script.
- Permission handling — Guides users to add themselves to the input group to read /dev/input/event* devices.
- Graceful termination — Press Ctrl+C to stop and view final usage statistics.
Use cases
- Measure productive coding time versus breaks on a Linux workstation
- Track screen time on a Windows machine without installing extra software
- Generate daily active usage reports for personal productivity analysis
Timer CLI Application FAQ
What operating systems does Timer CLI support?+
It runs on Linux (via AppImage) and Windows (standalone .exe) and requires Python 3.8+ for the source version.
Do I need to install any Python packages?+
No external dependencies are required; the script uses only the Python standard library.
How does the tool detect idle time?+
It monitors input device events from /dev/input/event* on Linux and pauses the timer after the configured idle limit (default 30 seconds).
What permissions are needed?+
Your user must have read access to /dev/input/event*; typically you add the user to the input group and log out/in.
How can I stop the timer and see results?+
Press Ctrl+C; the application will exit and display the total active usage statistics.
Summarized by DevHunt from github.com · Sep 30, 2026. Details may change; check the official site.
