Branch Time Tracker
A VS Code extension that tracks time spent on different Git branches with a beautiful tab-based interface.
Current Version: 0.3.3
Features
- Tracks time spent on each Git branch
- Displays statistics in a dedicated tab with visual percentage bars
- Dark/light theme support
- Saves time tracking data between sessions
- Simple and lightweight
- Visual time distribution across branches
- Manual refresh button for up-to-date statistics
- Auto-refresh with configurable interval (1-300 seconds)
- Improved error handling for git operations
- Enhanced UI with better visual hierarchy
- Persistent tab-based statistics view
- Real-time branch time tracking
Installation
- Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
- Open a Git repository in VS Code
- The extension will automatically start tracking branch time
Usage
- The extension automatically tracks time when you switch between branches
- Click the status bar item to open detailed statistics in a new tab
- The statistics tab shows:
- Time spent per branch with visual percentage bars
- Current active branch
- Total time tracked across all branches
- Number of branches being tracked
- Time is tracked in the background while you work
Viewing Statistics
- Click on the time display in the status bar (e.g., "2h 30m on branch")
- A new tab will open with detailed statistics
- The view updates automatically when you switch branches
Requirements
- VS Code 1.60.0 or higher
- Git installed and configured in your system PATH
Extension Settings
This extension contributes the following settings:
branchTimeTracker.updateInterval: How often to update the branch time (in milliseconds)
Version History
[0.3.2] - 2025-07-24
- Fixed: Improved error handling for git operations
- Fixed: Fixed potential memory leaks in the statistics view
0.3.1 - 2025-07-23
- Added: Manual refresh button in the statistics view
- Added: Auto-refresh toggle with configurable interval (1-300 seconds)
- Added: Improved UI for refresh controls
0.3.0 - 2025-07-23
- Added: New tab-based statistics view with improved visualization
- Added: Visual percentage bars for time distribution
- Added: Dark/light theme support in the statistics view
- Changed: Replaced popup with a persistent tab for better user experience
- Changed: Improved statistics display with better formatting and sorting
0.2.2 - 2025-07-23
- Changed: Removed seconds from status bar for cleaner look
- Changed: Added total time tracked summary
- Changed: Updated publisher information
- Fixed: Icon display issues
[0.2.0] - 2025-07-23
- Added: Status bar integration showing current branch and time spent
- Added: Clickable status bar item that shows detailed statistics
- Added: Loading indicators and better error states
- Added: Improved time formatting
- Added: Initial alpha release with basic branch time tracking functionality
- Added: Simple view to display branch statistics
- Added: Automatic time tracking when switching branches
- Added: Data persistence between sessions
For detailed changelog, see CHANGELOG.md.
🚀 Development Status
Current Version: 0.3.2
- Status: Stable release
- Focus: Bug fixes and performance improvements
- Last Updated: July 24, 2025
Upcoming Version: 0.3.3
- Status: In development
- Focus: Critical bug fixes and UX improvements
- Planned Release: August 2025
- Key Improvements:
- Memory leak fixes
- Active branch change detection
- Race condition prevention
- Enhanced error handling
For detailed development roadmap, see v0.3.3 Roadmap.
📊 Analysis & Documentation
This project includes comprehensive analysis documentation for each version:
Key Analysis Documents:
- Executive Summary - High-level overview and critical issues
- Technical Analysis - Detailed code review with specific fixes
- UX Diagrams - User journey flows and interaction patterns
- Development Roadmap - Comprehensive planning for future versions
Build Process
This project includes a build system that organizes build artifacts in a builds directory and prevents file overwrites.
Prerequisites
- Node.js (v14 or higher)
- npm (comes with Node.js)
- VS Code Extension Manager (vsce)
Building the Extension
Install Dependencies
npm install
Compile TypeScript
npm run compile
This compiles the TypeScript code to the builds/out directory.
Package the Extension
npm run vscode:package
This creates a VSIX file in the builds directory with a timestamp in the filename (e.g., branch-time-tracker-0.3.3-20250725-224600.vsix).
Build Organization
- All build artifacts are stored in the
builds directory
- Each VSIX file includes a timestamp to prevent overwrites
- The
builds/out directory contains compiled JavaScript files
- The
builds directory is excluded from version control
Organizing Existing Builds
To organize existing VSIX files into the builds directory:
./scripts/organize-builds.sh
This script:
- Moves all
.vsix files from the root directory to the builds directory
- Appends a timestamp to each filename
- Preserves the version number in the filename
Installing a Local Build
To install a local build in VS Code:
- Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P)
- Select "Extensions: Install from VSIX..."
- Navigate to the
builds directory and select the desired VSIX file
Known Issues
- Time tracking is not 100% accurate for very fast branch switches
- Memory usage may increase over time (will be fixed in v0.3.3)
- Branch changes outside VS Code may not be detected immediately (will be fixed in v0.3.3)
- Some git operations may fail silently (will be improved in v0.3.3)
Planned Fixes (v0.3.3)
- Memory leak prevention
- Real-time branch change detection
- Enhanced error handling and user feedback
- Performance optimizations
Release Notes
0.3.2 (Latest)
- Improved error handling for git operations
- Fixed potential memory leaks in the statistics view
- Enhanced stability and performance
0.3.1
- Manual refresh button in the statistics view
- Auto-refresh toggle with configurable interval
- Improved UI for refresh controls
0.3.0
- New tab-based statistics view with improved visualization
- Visual percentage bars for time distribution
- Dark/light theme support
- Better visual hierarchy and formatting
0.2.2
- Removed seconds from status bar for cleaner look
- Updated publisher information
- Fixed icon display issues
0.1.0-alpha
Initial alpha release with basic branch time tracking functionality.
- Automatic branch detection
- Time statistics display
