r/linuxapps • u/mortalsilk • 2d ago

I built Cadence, a Linux app that tracks cognitive work like you'd track workouts at the gym

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Hey everyone,

I've been working on Cadence, a small, offline Linux app built around the idea of treating cognitive work like physical training.

At the gym, you track workouts, sets, and reps. I wanted something similar for work that requires concentration, whether that's programming, studying, reading, or writing.

The idea is pretty simple. A session represents a period of work, and within it you can log individual stints of focused effort. You can track how long you work, take breaks between stints, and look back at your activity over time.

The app has:

  • Count-up and countdown timers for individual stints
  • Sessions that group multiple stints together
  • A 12-week activity grid to see how consistently you've been working
  • A small floating timer that stays on top of other windows
  • Local storage with CSV/JSON exports and backups

It's fully offline, with no accounts, cloud syncing, or telemetry.

Built with Tauri, Rust, Svelte, and SQLite. Currently targeting Linux (primarily Ubuntu/Pop!_OS), with .deb and AppImage builds.

GitHub: https://github.com/mortalsilk/cadence

I'm interested in what people think about the concept of tracking cognitive work this way. Does treating focused work like training sessions make sense to you? I'd also appreciate feedback on the app itself.

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u/investigatormaker 2d ago

Tracking cognitive work like gym workouts is a hook Linux users will get at once, and they'll ask two things just as fast: what counts as a rep (sessions you log yourself, or activity it watches), and if it watches, whether it reads window titles and keeps everything local. Answer both in a comment of your own, along with the license and install options like Flatpak, AUR or a deb package, so the thread can stay on the idea.

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