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Project Detection

Overview

Chronode can automatically detect which project you're working on in supported apps. This provides detailed time breakdowns without any manual project switching.

Important: Project detection only works with supported apps. All other apps track total time without project-level detail.

Supported Applications

Currently, Chronode supports automatic project detection for:

App Version Method
Xcode All versions .xcodeproj/.xcworkspace files
Visual Studio Code All versions Folder name from window title
PhpStorm All versions JetBrains project detection
IntelliJ IDEA Professional & Community JetBrains project detection
PyCharm Professional & Community JetBrains project detection
WebStorm All versions JetBrains project detection
Android Studio All versions Project name from window
Sublime Text 3 & 4 Folder name from window title

Note: More supported apps may be added in future updates.

How Project Detection Works

Xcode

Chronode reads the .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace file from the active window.

What gets detected:

MyiOSApp.xcodeproj    → Project: "MyiOSApp"
ClientApp.xcworkspace → Project: "ClientApp"

File filtering
Chronode ignores individual source files and only tracks when a project is open.

Fallback
If window title parsing fails, Chronode checks Xcode's configuration files.

Visual Studio Code

Parses the folder name from the window title.

What gets detected:

Window title : "index.html - WebsiteProject - Visual Studio Code"
→ Project    : "WebsiteProject"

Special cases handled:

  • Remote development indicators (SSH, WSL, containers)
  • Multi-part window titles
  • Workspace vs. folder mode

Fallback
Checks recent workspace files if window title is ambiguous.

JetBrains IDEs

Extracts project name from window title format [ProjectName].

What gets detected:

Window title : "[MyAPI] – routes/api.php"
→ Project    : "MyAPI"

File filtering
Ignores standalone file windows (files opened without a project).

Fallback
Reads .idea directory project configuration.

Android Studio

Parses project name from window title.

What gets detected:

Window title : "MainActivity.kt - MyAndroidApp [app]"
→ Project    : "MyAndroidApp"

Sublime Text

Extracts folder name from window title.

What gets detected:

Window title : "index.html (~/Projects/WebApp) - Sublime Text"
→ Project    : "WebApp"

Note: Works best when Sublime is opened with a folder/project rather than individual files.

Window Title Filtering

Chronode intelligently filters out non-project windows to ensure accurate tracking. The following are considered as windows to ignore and are not tracked as projects

Xcode

Over 185 known window titles including:

  • Welcome screen
  • Preferences/Settings
  • Documentation browser
  • Individual source files without project context

VS Code

Over 220 known window titles including:

  • Welcome page
  • Settings editor
  • Extension marketplace
  • Individual untitled files

JetBrains IDEs

Over 100 known window titles including:

  • Welcome screen
  • Preferences/Settings
  • Find in Files results
  • Database tools
  • Terminal windows
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Individual files without project

All Others

All other project supported applications have additional file type and window title filtering as described by the example applications listed previously. We continue to monitor application updates and update the ignore lists as soon as possible.

What this means:

If you open settings or documentation, Chronode won't create a "Settings" or "Documentation" project as it knows these aren't real work projects.

File Extension Filtering

Chronode maintains extensive lists of over 550 common file extensions to ignore, preventing individual files from being tracked as projects:

Why this matters:

If you open a single file in an application (eg XCode), Chronode won't track it as a project named "MyFile.swift" as it knows this isn't project work.

Fallback Detection

If window title parsing fails, Chronode has fallback methods:

  • Xcode
    Checks for recent projects in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/
  • VS Code
    Reads workspace history from settings
  • JetBrains IDEs
    Examines .idea directory and recent project lists

This attempts to provide more reliable project detection even when window titles are ambiguous.

Non-Supported Apps

Apps not in the supported list will:

  • Track total time in the application
  • Show only the app name (no projects)
  • Still record sessions accurately
  • Work perfectly for time tracking without project detail

This is normal behavior for apps that don't have project detection support yet.

Future Support

Project detection support may expand to include:

  • Additional IDEs and development tools
  • Non-IDE applications with project/document structures
  • Custom project detection rules based on files.

This documentation will be updated when support changes. Also Check for app updates to get the latest supported app list.

Core Features
App Settings
Chronode app data export screen

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Common Questions

We've got you covered. Quick answers to help you get started.

What is Chronode?

Chronode is a macOS menu bar application that automatically tracks time spent in your applications and projects (where supported). It monitors which apps you use and for how long, building an accurate picture of your computer usage without any manual input.

What are the system requirements?

Chronode requires macOS 14.6+ (Sonoma) or later and supports both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. The app uses less than 50MB of disk space and runs at an average of 1% CPU usage with less than 50MB of memory during normal operation. No internet connection is required.

How much does Chronode cost?

Chronode basic is free. Chronode Pro is a one-time purchase with lifetime updates included. No subscriptions, no recurring fees. This makes Chronode more cost effective than subscription based time trackers.

Where is my data stored?

All data is stored locally on your Mac using Apple's native database framework. Nothing is sent to the cloud, synced to external servers, or shared with third parties. No account is required. Your time tracking data exists only on your computer, under your complete control.

Does Chronode collect any data about me?

No. Chronode has zero telemetry, no analytics, and no tracking of any kind. Your usage data never leaves your Mac. There are no background network connections, no automated crash reporting services, and no usage statistics sent to developers. What happens on your Mac stays on your Mac.

Which applications can Chronode track?

Chronode can monitor any macOS application you choose. Intelligent project detection is available for the supported applications displayed when adding an app. We intend to add additional project/file detection support for commonly used apps in the near future.

Does Chronode work automatically?

Yes. Once you've added apps to monitor, Chronode tracks time automatically from the moment you launch an application until you quit it. There are no timers to remember to start, no buttons to click when switching tasks, and no logs to fill out at the end of the day.

Simply use your computer as you normally would, and Chronode quietly records everything in the background. The app handles all the tracking mechanics so you can focus entirely on your work without interruptions.

What reporting does Chronode provide?

Out of the box, Chronode provides comprehensive visual analytics to help you understand your time usage patterns. See which days you're most productive, identify your peak working hours, and visualize how time is distributed across different projects and applications.

Track your work consistency over time with intuitive graphs and visualizations that update in real-time as you work. Whether you're analyzing session lengths, spotting weekly trends, or reviewing your activity patterns, Chronode gives you the insights you need to optimize your workflow without complex settings.

Have a question not answered here? Try our other help sections below.

Our full FAQ Read the Docs Contact Us

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