Productivity Tracker

Boost your productivity and reclaim your focus with a smart Chrome extension that tracks, analyzes, and helps you manage your web browsing habits.

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Productivity Tracker Chrome Extension

Inspiration

The inspiration for the Productivity Tracker Chrome Extension came from the increasing need for people to manage their online time effectively, particularly with the rise of distractions and digital wellness concerns. Many users are unaware of how much time they spend on non-productive sites, which can lead to diminished focus and productivity. The extension aims to help users track their habits, stay focused, and make data-driven decisions about their digital well-being.

What it does

The Productivity Tracker Chrome extension monitors your web browsing habits in real time, categorizes websites into productive or unproductive groups, and provides insightful data on your browsing patterns. It helps users:

  • Track time spent on various websites
  • Identify areas where time could be better spent
  • Receive productivity alerts when visiting unproductive sites
  • View detailed, AI-generated summaries and visual analytics of their browsing activity
  • Maintain a whitelist of websites to avoid interruptions

How we built it

The extension was built using a combination of the following technologies:

  1. Vanilla JavaScript (ES6+): The core of the extension is written in JavaScript to ensure a lightweight and fast experience.
  2. Chrome Extension APIs: We used Chrome's API for handling real-time activity tracking, persistent data storage, and setting up notifications.
    • chrome.tabs: To monitor active tabs and track URLs visited.
    • chrome.storage: To store user data securely and persistently.
    • chrome.alarms: For scheduling periodic activity checks and analytics updates.
    • chrome.notifications: To notify users when they visit unproductive websites.
    • chrome.runtime: For managing background processes and maintaining smooth extension functionality.
  3. AI-powered Categorization: Google Gemini nano’s prompt API is leveraged to categorize websites into productivity categories and generate insightful summaries of daily browsing activity.
  4. Chart.js: For visualizing productivity data through pie charts and bar charts.

Challenges we ran into

  • Categorization Accuracy: Initially, the AI-powered categorization was not as accurate as we hoped. Fine-tuning the prompt API took some time to ensure that websites were correctly categorized into productive or unproductive categories.
  • Real-time Monitoring: Managing real-time tab tracking and accurate session time measurement while ensuring the extension runs smoothly in the background was challenging. Optimizing for performance and minimizing memory usage was crucial.
  • User Privacy: Ensuring that all browsing data is stored locally without compromising user privacy required careful design and testing.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Seamless User Experience: We successfully built a Chrome extension that works efficiently, with real-time tracking and insightful analytics. It is easy for users to install, use, and get detailed reports about their browsing habits.
  • AI Integration: The integration of an AI model to categorize websites based on user browsing behavior was a key achievement. It allows for automatic categorization and provides personalized insights.
  • Data Visualization: The use of Chart.js to provide clear and concise visual representations of browsing activity has made understanding patterns easier for users.

What we learned

  • Chrome Extension Development: This project was a deep dive into the development process of Chrome extensions, including understanding the intricacies of the Chrome APIs and managing persistent data storage.
  • User-Centered Design: The key to success in this project was focusing on simplicity and ease of use. The user experience needed to be intuitive, and the extension should not feel like a distraction.
  • Data Privacy and Security: We learned how crucial it is to handle user data responsibly and ensure privacy, especially when dealing with sensitive browsing information.

What's next for Productivity Tracker

  • Improved AI Categorization: We plan to continuously improve the AI model for better website categorization and smarter productivity insights.
  • Cross-Device Syncing: Allow users to sync their productivity data across multiple devices, enabling a consistent experience regardless of which device they are using.
  • Advanced Analytics: Adding more granular analytics and recommendations, such as optimal work-break intervals, based on the user’s browsing habits.
  • Browser Compatibility: Expanding the extension to work on other browsers, such as Firefox and Edge, to reach a wider audience.
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