Chronii Flutter: Feature-Rich Time Tracking

Chronii Flutter is an experimental all-in-one productivity app that combines time tracking, todo lists, and note-taking in a single cross-platform application. Built with Flutter and Firebase, it explores a broader approach to productivity tools with optional cloud sync.

Features

Chronii Flutter takes a kitchen-sink approach to productivity:

• Task timers with collapsible daily and weekly summaries for time tracking
• Integrated todo list with the ability to launch timers directly from tasks
• Built-in notepad with tabbed interface for managing multiple notes
• Flexible authentication - Firebase-backed accounts for cross-device sync or offline mode with no account
• Cross-platform support for web and Windows desktop (with potential for other Flutter platforms)

The app’s strength lies in its integrated workflow: create a todo, start a timer from that todo, and jot down notes in tabs—all without leaving the app.

Why I Built It

Chronii Flutter began as a simple experiment: how far could Claude Code take me in Flutter with no previous experience? After assembling a minimal todo list, I expanded it into a timer app to address frustrations I had with Clockify for work time tracking, particularly around cloud sync lag and inability to store sensitive task details.

As development continued, I added features like Firebase cloud sync and a multi-tab notepad, creating a more flexible productivity tool. However, I eventually realized that by going too wide with features, I wasn’t effectively addressing my core time tracking frustrations. This realization led to the creation of the more focused ChroniiJS project.

Technology

Built with Flutter and Firebase for rapid cross-platform development:

• Flutter for cross-platform UI framework using Dart
• Firebase Authentication supporting email/password and anonymous login
• Firestore Database for cloud data persistence
• Local storage for offline functionality
• Material UI library for component design

Development Journey

Initial Experimentation

In early 2025, I started experimenting with Claude Code to see how well it could handle building a Flutter application. Coming from a web development background, I approached Flutter with familiar mental models around component structure and state management.

The experiment began as a simple todo app—a straightforward project to test the capabilities of AI coding agents in an unfamiliar framework. Claude Code proved surprisingly capable at assembling components and state, feeling more reminiscent of agent performance in React than in some less popular technologies like MAUI.

Feature Growth

As I gained confidence with both Flutter and the AI tooling, I expanded beyond the initial todo list. I added task timers to track work time, addressing frustrations I had with Clockify. Then came a multi-tab notepad for capturing thoughts while working, followed by Firebase integration for cloud sync and cross-device access. Along the way I patched bugs, tweaked UI, and defended the project’s architecture from megalithic files and code duplication.

Performance Limitations

While it had its perks, there were performance limitations that were difficult to resolve. The app felt laggy compared to native applications, and the Material Design components didn’t quite feel at home on Windows. Web performance was noticeably worse than comparable JavaScript applications.

I tried upgrading the data storage from SharedPreferences to Drift, and implementing a local-first model to prevent sync delays, but such tasks were too much for 3.7 Sonnet to complete successfully, and the competition did no better. Since I couldn’t justify the time to fix this in a hobby project, I put the project on the shelf, still hoping someday I could build a new Clockify replacement.

Lessons Learned

This experimental phase taught me valuable lessons about product focus and feature scope. By trying to build a comprehensive productivity suite, I had diluted the core value proposition. The app did many things adequately but excelled at none.

The experience directly informed ChroniiJS, where I returned to the original problem: frustrations with Clockify. By focusing exclusively on time tracking—no todos, no notes, no cloud sync—I could optimize for performance, build a genuinely native-feeling interface, and innovate on new features.

Chronii Flutter is no longer actively maintained and should not be relied upon for important data.