Track Your Coding Productivity with WakaTime

WakaTime: Programmer's code efficiency tracking tool

WakaTime is a code efficiency tracking tool focused on programmers. It records when you actively encode, the programming language you use, projects and branches, and the total number of lines of the current file by integrating into your text editor or IDE. It supports multiple text editors and IDEs.

While WakaTime is more like a time tracking tool, it also provides insight into your coding habits, tracking the time you spend on different projects, languages, and files. However, it does not track task time outside the editor, such as planning, mailing, or application testing.

WakaTime offers free and paid plans, which offer additional features such as more detailed reporting, goal setting and team management. Although it has limitations in tracking non-coding tasks, it remains a valuable tool for programmers who want to understand their productivity habits and improve their workflow.

How does WakaTime work

WakaTime will record the following information when using the editor:

• The absolute path to the file to give a clear understanding of the files you have processed for a specific time period.
• Current time, trigger event, and current language syntax for opening the file.
• Your current project and branch (if possible).
• The total number of lines of the current file.

These records are either stored locally until you are connected to the internet or stored in so-called "heartbeat events." "Heartbeat Event" is triggered in three ways:

• Every two minutes, if you actively use the editor.
• When you switch files.
• When you write content in a file.

WakaTime can be integrated into various editors, from text editors such as Sublime Text to IDEs such as XCode and PhpStorm.

Installation and Settings

First, register an account on the WakaTime website. The registration process is simple and fast without activation. Fill in your email address and password to log in immediately. WakaTime will directly ask the editor you want to use, and you can click on the editor you like to start using. You need an API key that can be found on the WakaTime website.

Sublime Text Settings:

Make sure you have Package Control installed. Open Package Control, select Install a package, search WakaTime and install the corresponding package. After installation, Sublime Text will ask you to enter the WakaTime API key at the bottom of the screen. After pressing the Enter key, the configuration of Sublime Text is completed.

PhpStorm settings:

Open PhpStorm and click "File" -> "Settings". In Settings, go to the Plugins section, click "Browse Repository", search for WakaTime and install the plugin that appears. After the installation is complete, PhpStorm will ask you to restart. After reopening the application, a window will pop up asking you to enter the API key of WakaTime. Fill in the API key you copied from the page above and paste it into the box. After pressing the Enter key, the configuration of PhpStorm is completed.

View website data

Once you have changed some files in the editor, you will notice on the WakaTime website that it is logging your progress and log data.

Comparison with Codeivate and Toggl

WakaTime is more like a professional tool for tracking the time you spend on a specific project and has language tracking capabilities. Codeivate is more like a tool to track your language, adding some social elements such as rankings and "battle".

This difference is reflected in the price: If you want to keep your history, WakaTime charges $9 per month. If you stick to the free plan, your history will only remain for seven days. Codeivate, on the other hand, is free to use.

WakaTime's website is easier to understand and has a better user experience. Installing the plugin itself is easier than Codeivate. However, for example in PhpStorm you can see the actual state of your Codeivate, while for WakaTime you need to open its website.

So, if you prefer the social aspect and just want to roughly track down the language you are using, Codeivate is your choice. If you want to track the time you spend on your project, then WakaTime is definitely the best choice for you.

WakaTime is more of a time tracking tool than Toggl, so it is fair to compare it to another time tracking service. Toggl is a web-based tool where most of your work is done in the browser. Toggl is very easy to use. You just open it in your browser, select an item and click the "Start" button. The timer starts running and you can start working on the project. Once finished, click the "Stop" button and the time you spend will be recorded.

The advantage of Toggl is that it can also calculate the time you use to reply to emails, contact customers, or test web applications. In WakaTime, this period will not be recorded. But the advantage of WakaTime is that if you suddenly switch to a different project, it will automatically register the time spent on this project, while with Toggl you have to stop recording and start a new session. Toggl also allows you to manually add time in case you forget to click the Start button or you are not near your computer.

Conclusion

I like the philosophy behind WakaTime, but I see a question, as I've already outlined in my comparison with Toggl: the time spent on a project is more than just that part of the editor you use. You may need to plan access or call, you may need to send emails or test the application. WakaTime cannot track this time, and there is no way to manually add extra time. So, ultimately you still need to find another time tracker to track these tasks. I think this tool would be more useful if WakaTime can solve this problem. However, I prefer the way Toggl works because I can track everything. At first you may need to get used to it, but once it gets into your system, you can record everything.

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FAQ (FAQ) (Rewritten based on the original content)

• How does WakaTime track my coding efficiency? WakaTime tracks your coding efficiency by integrating with your text editor or IDE to track the time you actively encode. It tracks the time spent on different projects, languages ​​and documents and provides detailed reports and insights into your coding habits.

• Is WakaTime compatible with my favorite text editor or IDE? WakaTime supports a variety of text editors and IDEs, including Visual Studio, Atom, Sublime Text, and more. You can view the full list of supported editors on the WakaTime website.

• How does WakaTime handle privacy and data security? WakaTime attaches great importance to data security and privacy. All data is encrypted during transmission and storage. Only you have access to your detailed data, you can choose to share aggregated data with your team or keep it confidential. You can also delete your data at any time.

• Can I use WakaTime in a team project? Yes, WakaTime supports team projects. You can invite your team members to your project and track their coding activities.

• What types of reports and insights do WakaTime provide? WakaTime provides a variety of reports and insights, including daily, weekly, and monthly summary of your coding activities, breakdowns by project, language, and files, and a detailed timeline of your coding sessions. You can also set goals and track your progress.

• Can I use WakaTime offline? Yes, WakaTime can track your coding activity even when offline. It stores the data locally and syncs with the server after you re-reline.

• How to install and set WakaTime? Installing and setting up WakaTime is easy. You just need to download and install the plugin for your text editor or IDE and enter your API key.

• Is WakaTime free to use? WakaTime offers free and paid plans. Free plans include basic features such as time tracking and summary reporting. Paid plans offer additional features such as detailed reporting, goal setting and team management.

• Can I use WakaTime on multiple devices? Yes, you can use WakaTime on multiple devices. Just install the plugin on each device and enter your API key. WakaTime merges data from all devices into a single report.

• How does WakaTime help me improve coding efficiency? WakaTime provides detailed insights into your coding habits, which can help you identify areas for improvement. For example, you may find that you spend too much time on certain tasks, or that you are most efficient at certain times throughout the day. By understanding these patterns, you can change your workflow and increase your efficiency.

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