Arbtt - Automatic Rule-Based Time Tracker

Overview

Arbtt (Automatic Rule-Based Time Tracker) is open-source software for Linux, Windows, and macOS that runs as a desktop daemon, recording what windows are open and which is active, then categorizing time based on user-defined rules.

How It Works

Data Collection

arbtt-capture runs in background and keeps a continuous log:

• Which windows are open
• Window titles
• Which window has focus
• Time since last user action
• Saves one sample per minute (configurable)

Rule-Based Categorization

Mapping from raw window titles to "tags" is done by configuration file with powerful syntax:

• Rules applied in real-time during evaluation, not recording
• Raw data always intact
• Can add more rules later for forgotten cases
• Retroactive categorization

Technical Details

• Written in Haskell
• Open source (GitHub: github.com/nomeata/arbtt)
• Saves configurable samples (default: one per minute)
• Privacy-conscious: log file may contain sensitive data - protect it well

Platform Support

• Linux
• Windows
• macOS

Key Advantage

Raw data preservation means you can refine categorization rules anytime without losing historical tracking information.