A VS Code extension for GitHub Codespaces that enforces branch-specific time budgets and automates Git commits/pushes when time runs out.
Key Features
Branch-based limits
tutorial branch: 15 minutes
addPicture & addDistance branches: 30 minutes
Live countdown in the status bar ($(clock) MM:SS)
5-minute warning modal when only 5 minutes remain
Auto-commit & push when the timer hits zero
Pause after push: timer stops, and a “Start” button lets you immediately begin the next countdown
Lockout hook: once auto-committed & pushed, installs a pre-commit hook that prevents further commits on that branch
Installation
Clone or download the .vsix from the Marketplace or build locally.
In VS Code: Extensions → Install from VSIX... → select codespace-timer-<version>.vsix.
Open a GitHub Codespace (or any Git repo) and ensure you have an upstream remote named origin.
Available Commands
Start Timer (extension.startTimer)
Reads your current branch, resets or resumes its timer, installs the post-commit hook, and begins the countdown.
Pause Timer (extension.pauseTimer)
Manually pauses the countdown and updates the status bar.
Show Status (extension.showStatus)
Displays a modal with the branch name, whether the timer is running or paused, and the remaining time.
You can invoke any command via the Command Palette (⌘⇧P or Ctrl+Shift+P).
How It Works
Starting
Click Start Seal Extension.
A modal prompts: “Please read the task instructions… Click ‘Start’ when ready.”
On “Start”, the extension reads/initializes <workspace>/.timer_state.json, installs a post-commit hook, and shows the live countdown in the status bar.
Five-Minute Warning
When the remaining time drops to 5:00 exactly, a warning modal pops: “⚠️ Only 5 minutes remaining!”
Auto-Commit & Push
At 00:00, the extension stages all changes, commits with message Auto-commit: time expired, pushes to origin/<branch>, installs a restrictive pre-commit hook (to block further commits), and shows a confirmation.
Pause After Push
The post-commit hook writes a small .pause_timer file and runs git push origin.
Your interval loop sees that file, clears the timer, deletes it, and shows a modal with a single Start button.
Clicking Start re-invokes extension.startTimer, resetting/resuming for the next task on the same branch.
Configuration & Customization
Branch limits are defined in code under BRANCH_LIMITS. To change them, modify the numbers (in seconds) and rebuild.
Hooks live under .git/hooks/.
If you add new feature branches, add an entry in BRANCH_LIMITS or rely on the default 30 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Timer not showing? Make sure you ran Start Seal Extension and you’re in a Git repo.
Commits not blocked after expiration? Verify that .git/hooks/pre-commit is executable and contains the lockout script.
Hooks not firing? VS Code’s Git sometimes uses --no-verify; rely on the extension’s built-in detection instead.
