In early 2025, I realized something uncomfortable: I was spending hours every day switching between tabs, endlessly scrolling, and jumping between distractions — and I didn’t even realize how often it was happening.
Like many developers and students, I use a computer all day. But I noticed a pattern of compulsive behavior that wasn’t productive. I wasn’t just “working online.” I was switching contexts 50+ times an hour — email, YouTube, Reddit, docs, social media, GitHub… repeat.
The idea
I wanted to understand my dopamine loops — those invisible triggers and habits that push me to seek micro-hits of pleasure instead of focusing on deep work.
That’s why I started building Dopamine Tracker — a minimal, privacy-focused tool that:
- tracks online behavior via a browser extension,
- stores it in a Supabase backend,
- and visualizes patterns through a React dashboard.
It’s not about guilt or blocking websites — it’s about insight and agency.
What it does (so far)
Right now, the extension logs:
- Active tab time
- App switches and focus changes
- Time-of-day usage
- Top “dopamine drivers” (based on frequency + context)
Everything is stored locally in local storage as for the alpha stage.
Why build it in public?
I’m sharing this journey to:
- document the technical process (React, Supabase, browser APIs),
- reflect on design choices and architecture,
- connect with others working on similar problems.
If you’ve ever found yourself working but not really working — this project might speak to you.
What’s next
In the coming weeks, I’ll share devlogs on:
- implementing dopamine tracking and scoring algorithms
- designing the extension UI,
- building the analytics dashboard,
Thanks for following along. Let’s see where this goes.
Stay mindful, stay focused.
— Pietrell
Top comments (1)
Hey Pietrell, this is such a thoughtful and timely project.
You should absolutely consider launching it on Startups Lab - it's a great space for indie builders and SaaS founders to showcase what they're creating, get early feedback, and build visibility from day one. Would love to see Dopamine Tracker featured there! 🚀
Check it out here: startupslab.site