Development Time and Productivity Tracking

[iwangbowen]

Type: Feature Request

Development Time and Productivity Tracking

Feature Request Summary:
Add built-in development time tracking and productivity analytics to VS Code to help developers understand their coding patterns, identify bottlenecks, and optimize their workflow efficiency.

Problem Statement:
Developers often lack visibility into how they spend their coding time and struggle to identify productivity patterns or bottlenecks in their development workflow. External time tracking tools are either too generic or require additional setup and maintenance.

Proposed Solution:

Core Features:

1. Automatic Time Tracking

   • Track active coding time per project/workspace
   • Distinguish between active coding, debugging, and idle time
   • Monitor time spent in different file types and languages

2. Productivity Metrics Dashboard

   • Lines of code added/modified/deleted per session
   • Time spent on different activities (coding, debugging, refactoring)
   • Break patterns and focused work sessions
   • Daily/weekly/monthly productivity trends

3. Smart Activity Classification

   • Differentiate between writing new code, debugging, code review, and refactoring
   • Track time spent using Copilot vs manual coding
   • Monitor extension usage patterns

4. Distraction Analysis

   • Track context switches between files/projects
   • Identify interruption patterns
   • Measure deep work session durations

Advanced Features:

5. Team Productivity Insights (Optional, privacy-controlled)

   • Anonymous team productivity benchmarks
   • Best practice sharing based on productive patterns
   • Collaborative project time allocation

6. AI-Powered Recommendations

   • Suggest optimal coding schedules based on personal patterns
   • Recommend break times to maintain productivity
   • Identify when to use Copilot for maximum efficiency

Privacy & Control:

• All data stored locally by default
• Granular privacy controls for data sharing
• Option to export/import productivity data
• Complete data deletion capabilities

Use Cases:

• Freelancers: Accurate time tracking for client billing
• Teams: Understanding project time allocation and bottlenecks
• Personal Development: Identifying and improving coding habits
• Managers: Data-driven insights for sprint planning and resource allocation

Expected Benefits:

• Improved self-awareness of coding patterns
• Better time estimation for future tasks
• Data-driven workflow optimization
• Enhanced team productivity insights
• More accurate project planning

Implementation Considerations:

• Integrate with existing VS Code telemetry infrastructure
• Respect user privacy with opt-in data collection
• Provide both real-time and historical analytics
• Ensure minimal performance impact on the editor

VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.102.0-insider (0140ab3, 2025-06-18T05:04:01.892Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

[Cubox]

Can't this be an extension?

[vs-code-engineering]

We try to keep VS Code lean and we think the functionality you're asking for is great for a VS Code extension. Maybe you can already find one that suits you in the VS Code Marketplace. Just in case, in a few simple steps you can get started writing your own extension. See also our issue reporting guidelines.

Happy Coding!