Chrome supports badges on chrome extensions. E.g. I've built a chrome extension that shows an "On" badge when it's activated in the current tab. Via the same mechanism you could display the number of minutes remaining.
Edit: Random article showing this in action: https://dev.to/paulasantamaria/chrome-extensions-adding-a-ba... -- also, no idea if it's supported in v3
Then it's not a browser app anymore, it's a chrome app. Maybe not even that, it's a chrome app that needs a specific extension as well?
I'm using Firefox. Having to install Chome+extensions just for a pomodoro app is extremely unappealing to me.
Counter use case - browser apps are superior unless you can invest in building strong cross-platform capabilities (like Obsidian.md)
I'm constantly jumping between machines and operating systems. I've often been on Linux, Windows, and Mac in a single day. Or moved from desktops to laptops.
Or only use one platform... c'mon linux phones... get better!
Hence why I want to make a V3 that is a local app (some sort of hacked up zenity won't work, though).
For this particular use-case, functionality beats portability.
As far as I know, web apps can run in the background, when the browser is closed and use native notifications.
And for easily distracted people, you might want a physical timer that also synchronizes with your devices. Set a timer for the stove, then forget you're baking and try to leave the house, your watch or phone needs to get the alert.
Really is better if you have multiple devices to remind you. Right now if I set a timer on one iOS device it tends to go off on the one I'm using. Give me more of that, including ambient devices.
What’s worked for me was turning the screen grayscale to signify a break:
https://andrew.kvalhe.im/2020-11-18
Relatedly for a while I was using periodic ~zenity prompts to keep myself on track:
Then it really shouldn't be a browser app, it needs to be a local app that runs in the taskbar.
I've made two of these in the past:
V1, browser based: the browser simply wasn't viable because there's no taskbar timer.
V2, Bash+zenity script to run locally, pops up a uncloseable, uncoverable and omnipresent (across all workspaces) window, with a progress bar showing the time as it elapses[1], and properly sends desktop notifications. A much more functional experience than V1 which was invisible while I was working, stuck on a single workspace (I have nine in a 3x3 grid) and frequently didn't send notifications.
V3, Next iteration, local application without a window but with taskbar integration for timer display. Might just decide to hack zenity to provide a 'taskbar' widget.
[1] If you're interested my V2 app (run locally), see https://gist.github.com/lelanthran/bbbcf5c8b6b26c9bc0263384a...