Skip to main content
Glama
timermcp

timermcp

by julan-gh

TimerMCP โฑ โ€” the talking stopwatch for Claude

A millisecond-precision MCP timer server. Say "start the timer" to Claude โ€” the clock starts on the server's monotonic nanosecond clock, a live wall display lights up in your browser, and when you say "stop," Claude announces the official time like a track announcer.

๐Ÿ STOP THE CLOCK! 'ship the landing page' finishes in 4:07.312!
๐Ÿ† NEW PERSONAL BEST โ€” 18.455 faster than the old record!

With the free cloud connector (timermcp.com), countdowns render as a live ticking card right in the chat โ€” desktop and mobile:

A live TimerMCP countdown card ticking inside a Claude chat

Why the milliseconds are honest (the latency math)

You say "start" at tโ‚€; the command reaches the server after delay dโ‚ (typing + model + transport). Server stamps Sโ‚ = tโ‚€ + dโ‚. You say "stop" at tโ‚, stamped Sโ‚‚ = tโ‚ + dโ‚‚.

reported = Sโ‚‚ โˆ’ Sโ‚ = (tโ‚ โˆ’ tโ‚€) + (dโ‚‚ โˆ’ dโ‚)

Both timestamps are taken server-side, so the constant part of the pipeline delay cancels. Only the difference between start-side and stop-side latency can leak in โ€” and for symmetric calls that's small. All math runs on process.hrtime.bigint() (monotonic nanoseconds), immune to NTP jumps and DST.

If you believe your pipeline is asymmetric, bias it out: timer_config accepts start_offset_ms / stop_offset_ms, subtracted from every result. raw_elapsed_ms (pure monotonic) is always returned alongside the adjusted elapsed_ms.

Related MCP server: productive-mcp

Setup

Prerequisite: Node.js โ‰ฅ 18 (node --version).

TimerMCP is on npm โ€” no clone or build needed.

Claude Code (one command):

claude mcp add timermcp -- npx -y timermcp
claude mcp list   # should show timermcp โœ“ connected

Claude Desktop โ€” edit claude_desktop_config.json:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

  • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "timermcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "timermcp"]
    }
  }
}
git clone https://github.com/julanbasnet/timermcp.git
cd timermcp
npm install && npm run build
node dist/index.js --version   # prints banner and exits
npm run smoke                  # full 18-assertion suite
claude mcp add timermcp -- node /absolute/path/to/timermcp/dist/index.js

On Windows use forward slashes or escaped backslashes in config paths: "C:/tools/timermcp/dist/index.js".

After adding, fully quit and reopen the client (Desktop: quit from the menu/tray, not just close the window). Say "start the timer" and open http://localhost:5717 โ€” the wall display.

Inspector (optional): npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npx -y timermcp for an interactive tool console.

Talk to it

You say

Tool

What happens

"start the timer"

timer_start

Monotonic start stamp + announcer call

"start a 25-minute pomodoro"

timer_start (target_ms)

Countdown mode; stop reports over/under

"race me vs the build: start alice and bob"

timer_start ("alice,bob")

Both start on the same nanosecond

"split โ€” hero section done"

timer_split

LiveSplit-style lap, delta vs PB pace ๐ŸŸข๐Ÿ”ด

"how long so far?"

timer_status

Live server-side reading

"stop the clock"

timer_stop

Official ms, PB check, SVG result card

"false start, cancel it"

timer_cancel

Discards without touching history

"what's my record?"

timer_history

PBs, recent runs, lifetime totals

"switch announcer to drill sergeant"

timer_config

hype ยท zen ยท sergeant ยท sports ยท minimal

The viral bits

  • Live wall display โ€” electric-cyan timing console at localhost:5717, streams every millisecond over SSE. Put it on a second monitor or your phone; it reacts the instant Claude acts. Buttons + keyboard (space = split, enter = start/stop) work from the browser too, including a countdown-target field for browser-started pomodoros.

  • Countdown chime โ€” flip the ๐Ÿ”” Sound toggle on the wall and every countdown rings out loud the moment it hits zero. (Off by default; browsers require one click before a page may play audio.)

  • XP, levels & achievements โ€” every finished run and tracked minute earns XP. Ten ranks from ROOKIE to TIME LORD, a day-streak counter, and a 12-medal achievement shelf (PHOTO FINISH, RECORD BREAKER, BULLSEYE, MIDNIGHT OIL, RACE DAYโ€ฆ), all derived from your local history. Level-ups and unlocks fire toasts + confetti on the wall.

  • Personal bests & speedrun splits โ€” every named timer keeps a PB. Splits compare against the same checkpoint on your PB run, LiveSplit-style: "1.204 AHEAD of PB pace ๐ŸŸข". Confetti on new records.

  • Race mode โ€” comma-separated names start on one shared nanosecond stamp (measured ฮ” in tests: 0.003ms).

  • Result cards โ€” every stop writes a 1200ร—630 SVG finish card (~/.timermcp/cards/, also served at /card/{id}). Screenshot-ready for X/LinkedIn.

  • Announcer personalities โ€” hype race-caller by default; zen, drill sergeant, broadcast, or minimal.

  • Crash-safe โ€” state persists to ~/.timermcp/state.json; timers running across a restart recover on wall-clock precision (flagged as recovered).

Environment

Var

Default

TIMERMCP_PORT

5717

Dashboard port

TIMERMCP_HOST

127.0.0.1

Set 0.0.0.0 to view from other devices on your LAN (no auth โ€” trusted networks only)

TIMERMCP_HOME

~/.timermcp

State + cards directory

TIMERMCP_NO_DASHBOARD

unset

1 disables the HTTP server

Troubleshooting

  • Tools don't appear in Claude โ†’ the config path must be absolute; fully quit and relaunch the client. Server logs (stderr) land in the client's MCP logs โ€” macOS: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-timermcp.log, Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\.

  • Dashboard won't load / "port taken" in logs โ†’ another TimerMCP instance owns 5717. Claude Desktop and Claude Code each spawn their own server process; timers still work in both, but give the second one TIMERMCP_PORT=5718 (and its own TIMERMCP_HOME if you want separate PBs โ€” otherwise state.json is last-write-wins between them).

  • node dist/index.js seems to hang โ†’ normal; stdio servers wait for a client. Use --version to sanity-check.

  • Times look ~equal but off by a constant โ†’ that's differential latency; set start_offset_ms / stop_offset_ms via timer_config (see latency math above).

Test

npm run smoke   # 19 assertions: protocol, timing accuracy, offsets, race ฮ”, dashboard, cards

MIT.

Available Tools

7 tools
timer_cancelCancel TimerA
Destructive

Discard a running timer WITHOUT recording a session, PB, or history entry. Use for false starts ("wait, I wasn't ready"). The would-be elapsed is returned for reference only.

Args:

  • name (string, default "main"): Timer to discard.

Returns: { name, discarded_elapsed_ms }

Inputs: name. Returns: name, discarded_elapsed_ms

timer_configConfigure TimerMCPA
Idempotent

Read or update TimerMCP settings. Call with no args to read.

Settings:

  • announcer ('hype'|'zen'|'sergeant'|'sports'|'minimal'): Default announcement personality. Styles: hype, zen, sergeant, sports, minimal.

  • start_offset_ms / stop_offset_ms (number โ‰ฅ 0): Latency handicaps subtracted from every elapsed. Leave at 0 for most uses โ€” symmetric pipeline latency already cancels because both timestamps are taken server-side on a monotonic clock. Set these only to bias out a known asymmetry (e.g. user reckons their "stop" reaches the server ~300ms slower than their "start").

  • max_hours (number): A running timer older than this is flagged runaway (default 4).

  • sync_token (string): Enables cloud auto-sync. The user gets this token from their dashboard at https://timermcp.vercel.app/app ("set my timer sync token to โ€ฆ"). Every finished run then syncs automatically. Pass an empty string to disable sync.

  • sync_url (string): Override the cloud endpoint (default https://timermcp.vercel.app).

Returns: { config: {announcer, start_offset_ms, stop_offset_ms, max_hours, sync_enabled, sync_token_tail?, sync_url?}, dashboard_url, data_dir }

Inputs: sync_url, announcer, max_hours, sync_token, +2 more. Returns: config, data_dir, dashboard_url

timer_historyHistory & Personal BestsA
Read-onlyIdempotent

Personal bests, recent finished runs, and lifetime totals. Read-only.

Args:

  • name (string, optional): Filter to one timer name; omit for everything.

  • limit (number, default 10): Max recent sessions returned (1โ€“50).

Returns: { bests: [{name, best_ms?, count, total_ms}], recent: [{id, name, elapsed_ms, formatted, pb, splits, stopped_wall, target_ms?, over_under_ms?}], lifetime_ms, lifetime_sessions }

Great for "what's my record?", "how much have I tracked today?", or building a leaderboard recap for the user.

Inputs: name, limit. Returns: bests, recent, lifetime_ms, lifetime_sessions

timer_splitRecord Split / LapA

Record a split (lap) on a running timer without stopping it โ€” speedrun style.

If a personal-best run exists for this timer name, the split is compared against the SAME split index on the PB run and delta_vs_best_ms is returned (negative = ahead of PB pace, like LiveSplit green).

Args:

  • name (string, default "main"): Running timer to split.

  • label (string, optional): Name the checkpoint, e.g. "deploy done", "lap 2". Defaults to "Split N".

Returns: { name, index, label, at_ms, formatted, delta_vs_best_ms?, announcement }

Relay the announcement; if delta_vs_best_ms is present, call out ahead/behind PB pace.

Inputs: name, label. Returns: name, at_ms, index, label, +3 more

timer_startStart TimerA

Start a millisecond-precision stopwatch (or countdown) on the TimerMCP server.

The server stamps the start on a MONOTONIC nanosecond clock the instant this call arrives. Elapsed time is computed server-side as stop-stamp minus start-stamp, so the constant part of the pipeline delay (user โ†’ Claude โ†’ server) cancels out between start and stop โ€” only the difference in latency between the two calls can leak in.

Args:

  • name (string, default "main"): Timer name. NAME IT AFTER THE TASK โ€” when the user says what they are working on ("start a timer for the auth refactor"), use that as the name ("auth refactor") so their session log reads like a work journal. Pass a comma-separated list (e.g. "alice,bob") to start several timers on the SAME nanosecond โ€” race mode.

  • target_ms (number, optional): Turns the run into a countdown (Pomodoro, rest interval, speedrun target). Stop reports over/under.

  • announcer ('hype'|'zen'|'sergeant'|'sports'|'minimal', optional): Voice for this run's announcements. Defaults to configured style.

  • start_offset_ms (number, optional): Milliseconds subtracted from the final elapsed to bias out start-side latency. Defaults to configured value (0).

Returns: { started: [{name, elapsed_ms, started_wall, target_ms?}], announcement, dashboard_url }

IMPORTANT: Relay the 'announcement' line to the user with matching energy โ€” you are the track announcer. Mention the dashboard_url the first time so they can put the live wall display on a second screen.

Errors: fails if a timer with the same name is already running (stop or cancel it first, or pick another name).

Inputs: name, announcer, target_ms, start_offset_ms. Returns: started, announcement, dashboard_url

timer_statusTimer StatusA
Read-onlyIdempotent

Check what's on the clock right now. Read-only.

Args:

  • name (string, optional): One timer, or omit for all running timers.

Returns: { running: [{name, elapsed_ms, formatted, target_ms?, remaining_ms?, splits, best_ms?, recovered, runaway}], count, dashboard_url } 'recovered' = true means the server restarted mid-run and that timer fell back to wall-clock precision. 'runaway' = true means the timer has been running longer than the configured max_hours (default 4) โ€” the user probably forgot it. Ask if they want to stop it, offering trim_to_ms to cap the recorded time at what they actually worked. elapsed_ms is a live server-side reading at the moment this call was processed.

Inputs: name. Returns: count, running, dashboard_url

timer_stopStop TimerA

Stop a running timer and get the official elapsed time in milliseconds.

elapsed_ms = (monotonic stop-stamp โˆ’ monotonic start-stamp) โˆ’ start_offset_ms โˆ’ stop_offset_ms. raw_elapsed_ms is the pure unadjusted monotonic difference. Because both stamps are taken server-side, symmetric pipeline latency cancels; offsets exist only to bias out asymmetry if the user wants.

Args:

  • name (string, default "main"): Which timer to stop.

  • stop_offset_ms (number, optional): Override the configured stop-side latency handicap for this stop only.

  • trim_to_ms (number, optional): Cap the recorded time. Use when the user forgot to stop a runaway timer and tells you how long they actually worked (e.g. "I only worked 25 minutes" โ†’ trim_to_ms 1500000). The session records the capped time and is flagged trimmed.

Returns: { session: {name, elapsed_ms, raw_elapsed_ms, formatted, splits, pb, pb_margin_ms?, target_ms?, over_under_ms?, id}, announcement, card_path, card_url }

A shareable SVG result card is written on every stop (card_path on disk, card_url served by the dashboard).

IMPORTANT: Relay the 'announcement' to the user โ€” big finish energy if it's a PB. Quote the exact millisecond figure.

Inputs: name, trim_to_ms, stop_offset_ms. Returns: session, card_url, card_path, announcement

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

    TDQS

    A4.5/5.0

    Scored across 7 tools

    Disambiguation5/5

    Each tool has a clear, distinct purpose: start, stop, cancel, split, status, history, and config. There is no functional overlap, and the descriptions explicitly differentiate them.

    Naming Consistency5/5

    All tools follow a consistent 'timer_verb' pattern in lowercase snake_case, making the naming predictable and easy to understand.

    Tool Count5/5

    Seven tools cover the essential timer operations without being excessive. Each tool adds unique value, and the count feels well-scoped for the domain.

    Completeness4/5

    The tool set covers the full lifecycle of timer operations: start, stop, cancel, split, live status, history, and configuration. Minor gaps like deleting history or editing sessions are absent but not critical for the core use case.

    Maintenance

    ActivityMaintained
    ResponsivenessNo recent community issues

    Related MCP Connectors

    Related MCP Servers

    • A
      license
      Not graded
      quality
      D
      maintenance
      An MCP server that provides interval timing functionality using token-based time tracking, allowing users to start timers with unique identifiers and check elapsed time in milliseconds or human-readable format.
      Apache 2.0
    • F
      license
      Not graded
      quality
      D
      maintenance
      MCP server that provides tools to control a server-owned Pomodoro timer, allowing focus, pause, resume, skip, reset, and stats operations.
      1
      -
    • A
      license
      Not graded
      quality
      D
      maintenance
      An MCP server for time tracking and billing that allows freelancers to control timers, manage projects, and export invoices via natural language in any MCP-compatible AI assistant.
      6 npm
      MIT