As we introduced on a previous post , we have rolled-out a set of 10 new features.

The set of new features includes the ability to track, analyze and show the activity related to web browsing and debugging on Chrome. This post will show you all you need to know to get insights about how you use time while browsing or creating the web.

The Basics

First thing you need to know about Codealike Time Tracker for Chrome is that you can get it from this link at Chrome Web Store. Second first thing you need to know is that it can work connected or disconnected from Codealike’s servers. Third important thing is that it tracks three different types of activities: Navigation Time: This is the regular time you spend visiting web sites on Chrome’s tabs.

This is the regular time you spend visiting web sites on Chrome’s tabs. Debugging Time: When you activate DevTools Panel on Chrome (F12), the Navigation Time on the debugged tab is marked as Debugging Time.

When you activate DevTools Panel on Chrome (F12), the Navigation Time on the debugged tab is marked as Debugging Time. Debugger Time: If DevTools Panel is active and dettached from debugged tab, the time spent on the dettached DevTools Panel will represent Debugger Time.

Installing the Chrome Extension

The more secure and fastest to get the Codealike Time Tracker for Chrome extension is to installing it from Chrome Web Store.

In order to automatically install the extension, you should click in the button shown below.

Then confirm permissions.

Once the Extension is installed, you should see the icon shown below in your Chrome Extensions icons bar and a Welcome page with further instructions will be automatically displayed.

That’s it. It’s all up and running.

Now Codealike Time Tracker for Chrome is working on a disconnected mode. That means that it will track the activity and store it in a local repository. Please, note that when the limit of the local storage is reached, new activities will replace older ones. The limit of the local storage may vary, but it should allow to store near a month of regular activity.

Connecting to Codealike

Why should I connect the extension to Codealike? You will be able to host unlimited activity. The activity from different devices will be automatically consolidated. When connected, we automatically integrate the web activity information on the reports available at http://codealike.com. That means that coding activity tracked from Visual Studio and Eclipse will also integrate to Web Activity.



When you click on the extension’s icon, a panel containing a summary for the tracked information will be displayed.

In order to connect the extension to Codealike’s servers, you must have an account and a API Token for the Public API.

Creating my Codealike Account

Go to https://codealike.com/Account/Register Create your account via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, GitHub or create your username. If you choose to create your username, you must also provide a password for it. If you choose any other social identity provider, you must use the same for further sign-in or link your account to others from the Settings view.

GENERATE YOUR API TOKEN

Autenticate at Codealike. Go to Settings view. Scroll down to the section Public API. Click on Generate Token.

C’mon, let’s connect the Extension!

Open the Codealike Time Tracker for Chrome extension panel by clicking in this icon You’ll be displayed with the view below. If you open this panel while at Settings view, then the extension will automatically grab the token, otherwise you should enter it by hand or copy/paste. Then click in this button and you should be connected to Codealike’s servers after a couple of seconds:

What do we track? Short answer: Everything. Is in our roadmap to add white and black lists but in this very first version we track everything. For each visit to a web, we track: URL, Favicon URL, web site’s title, timestamp for the visit start, timestamp for the visit ending, duration of the visit, if it was an Incognito tab and status of the visit. What about my privacy? You can pause the transfer to our servers and choose not to enable the extension in Incognito tabs. You can also clear the tracked information whenever you want.

If you do not sign in to Codealike Extension using your Api token, NO DATA will be transfered to our servers.

Finally, we don’t care what pages you browse. We collect your data to show it to yourself so you can improve your work

Tracking what you want?

If, at any time, you would like to restrict the activities that we track from this extension, you can click on the Options… button and access to the Time Tracker Options. From there you can choose among three options:

Do you want to suggest changes or new features to Codealike Time Tracker for Chrome? Please, get to our forum and let us know: http://feedback.codealike.com/