I Got Tired of Tab-Switching for Simple Calculations, So I Built This

#productivity #showdev #tooling

As developers, we spend our days solving complex problems. But somehow, the simplest tasks still break our flow:

"What's 150 EUR in USD?" → Open Google
"What time is it in Tokyo right now?" → Check world clock
"When is 45 days from today?" → Open calendar, count manually
"What's 18% tip on $85?" → Pull out phone calculator

Every tab switch is a context switch. Every context switch costs focus.

I kept thinking: why can't I just type what I'm thinking and get the answer?

The Problem with Traditional Calculators

Most calculators are built for numbers, not questions.

You can't type $150 + 20% tax into a standard calculator. You have to:

Type 150
Multiply by 0.20
Add the result to 150
Remember what you were doing before

And for currency? Time zones? Date math? Forget it. Those need separate apps entirely.

What If Your Calculator Understood You?

That's the idea behind Octa — a text-based calculator that works the way your brain does.

Instead of buttons and separate apps, you just type naturally:

What You Type	What You Get
`150 EUR to USD`	$162.45 (live rates)
`time in Tokyo`	2:30 AM JST
`today + 45 days`	February 17, 2026
`$85 + 18% tip`	$100.30
`5 miles in km`	8.05 km
`BMI 75kg, 1.80m`	23.15 (Normal)

No mode switching. No app hopping. Just type → answer.

Built for Developer Workflows

A few things that make it feel right for daily dev work:

Instant Results
Results appear as you type. No Enter key needed for simple stuff. Your brain stays in flow.

Multi-line Scratch Pad
Work through multiple calculations at once. Compare values. Keep notes. It's like a smart notepad that happens to calculate.

Works Offline
No internet needed for math, unit conversions, or date calculations. Currency and time zone sync when you're online, then work offline.

Keyboard-First
No mouse required. Global hotkey to summon it, type your question, get your answer, dismiss. Back to coding in seconds.

Dark Mode Native
Built with a dark interface that doesn't blast your eyes at 2 AM debugging sessions.

Things You Didn't Know You Needed

Once you start using natural input, you find uses everywhere:

Sprint planning: today + 14 days for sprint end dates
International meetings: 3pm PST in Berlin before scheduling
Freelance invoices: $2500 * 0.85 for after-platform fees
Quick health check: BMI 70kg, 175cm during a break
Travel planning: 500 USD to JPY for budget estimates

The pattern is always the same: type what you're thinking, get the answer.

Why Not Just Use Google?

You could. But:

Privacy — Your calculations stay on your machine, not in search history
Speed — No page load, no ads, no "did you mean..."
Offline — Works on planes, in tunnels, anywhere
Focus — No temptation to check "just one more thing" while the browser is open

Every time you open a browser for a quick calculation, you risk the rabbit hole.

Cross-Platform, Lightweight

Octa runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Built with Tauri (not Electron), so it's about 5MB instead of 150MB+. Starts instantly, barely touches your RAM.

Try It

If you're tired of breaking flow for simple calculations, give it a shot:

👉 octa.techyowls.io

I'd love to hear what calculations you find yourself doing most often. Always looking for patterns to support better.

What's your most annoying "simple task" that breaks your coding flow? Drop it in the comments — curious if others have the same frustrations.

Tags: #productivity #tools #developers #workflow #showdev

Top comments (6)

Art light • Dec 4

This is awesome — such a simple idea but super practical. I love how Octa removes all those tiny flow-breaking moments we deal with every day. Definitely going to give it a try; curious to see how it fits into my own workflow!😊

TheDevSide • Dec 5 • Edited

Thanks so much for the appreciation and encouragement! I’m really glad you found the idea useful. It’ll be a pleasure to hear how it fits into your workflow!