I built a Carbon Footprint tracker for my code (using Electron?!) 🍃

The Problem: Invisible Emissions ☁️

As developers, we are obsessed with optimization. We profile our code for Time Complexity ($O(n)$), memory leaks, and bundle size.

But there is one metric we usually ignore: Carbon Intensity.

Every time we run a heavy build, spin up a Docker container, or train a model, we draw power. Depending on where you live (and your grid's current mix of coal vs. renewables), that power has a carbon cost.

I wanted to see that cost in real-time. So, I built CarbonLint.

Meet CarbonLint 🌍

[Insert Screenshot of your Dashboard here]

CarbonLint is an open-source desktop app that monitors your development environment's energy usage and estimates the CO2 emissions of your workflow.

It helps you answer:

• "How much CO2 did that last CI/CD run generate?"
• "Is my local grid green right now, or should I wait to run this heavy task?"

Under the Hood 🛠️

I built this using Electron, React, and Vite.

Wait, an Electron app to save energy? I know, I know. Electron isn't known for being lightweight.

Here is how I tried to balance it:

1. Backend: I use systeminformation and node-powershell to pull raw system metrics (CPU, Memory, Network).
2. Calculation: The app applies regional grid intensity factors to convert raw kWh into gCO2.
3. Frontend: React + Chart.js for the visualization.

The Challenge

The hardest part was getting accurate regional data. [Briefly explain how you handled the regional data/grid intensity].

Try it out (It's Open Source)

I am looking for contributors to help improve the calculation models and add support for more regions.

• Repo: https://github.com/nishal21/CarbonLint
• Tech: Electron, React, TailwindCSS

If you are interested in Green Software Engineering, I’d love your feedback!

Let me know in the comments: Do you track your code's energy usage?