Fine-tuned Deadline Countdown

Color-coded countdown timer statusline that tracks git branch, changed files, and time remaining until your configurable deadline.

When to Use This Setting

Apply this setting when you need to:

• Maintain deadline awareness directly in your Claude Code statusline during time-sensitive sprints
• Monitor uncommitted file counts alongside a visual countdown that shifts color as urgency increases
• Configure per-session deadline targets using the DEADLINE_TIME environment variable Consider alternatives when:
• You work without fixed daily deadlines and prefer open-ended session tracking
• Your workflow does not involve git repositories where branch and change tracking apply

Quick Start

Configuration

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name: fine-tuned-deadline-countdown
type: setting
category: statusline

Example Application

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claude setting:apply fine-tuned-deadline-countdown

Example Output

Setting applied. Changes:
- statusLine.type: command
- statusLine.command: python3 .claude/scripts/deadline-countdown.py
- default_deadline: 15:30
- env_override: DEADLINE_TIME (HH:MM format)
- color_coding: green(>2h), yellow(1-2h), red(<1h)

Core Concepts

Deadline Countdown Overview

Aspect	Details
Countdown Target	Configurable via DEADLINE_TIME env var, defaults to 15:30
Color Urgency	Green when more than 2 hours remain, yellow at 1-2 hours, red under 1 hour
Git Integration	Displays current branch name and count of uncommitted file changes
Time Format	Input accepts HH:MM in 24-hour format for deadline specification
Refresh Cycle	Recalculates remaining time on each statusline refresh interval

Countdown Timer Architecture

+------------------+     +-------------------+     +----------------+
| Environment Vars |---->| Time Calculator   |---->| Urgency Mapper |
| DEADLINE_TIME    |     | deadline - now    |     | >2h  = green   |
| default: 15:30   |     | remaining minutes |     | 1-2h = yellow  |
+------------------+     +-------------------+     | <1h  = red     |
                                |                  +----------------+
                                v                         |
                    +---------------------+               v
                    | Git Status Reader   |     +------------------+
                    | branch + porcelain  |---->| Statusline Output|
                    +---------------------+     +------------------+

Configuration

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
deadline_time	string	"15:30"	Target deadline in HH:MM 24-hour format
urgency_red_threshold	integer	60	Minutes remaining before switching to red urgency
urgency_yellow_threshold	integer	120	Minutes remaining before switching to yellow urgency
show_git_branch	boolean	true	Include current git branch name in the statusline
show_changed_files	boolean	true	Display count of uncommitted changes from git status

Best Practices

1. Set DEADLINE_TIME per project - Different projects may have different standup or deployment windows. Add export DEADLINE_TIME=17:00 to your project-level .envrc file so the countdown automatically adjusts when you switch between repositories.
2. Pair with notification scripts for critical deadlines - The statusline provides visual urgency but no audible alerts. Extend the Python script to trigger an osascript notification or notify-send alert when the countdown crosses your red threshold so you never miss a hard deadline.
3. Adjust thresholds for your work rhythm - The default two-hour yellow and one-hour red zones assume a standard workday. If you work in shorter sprints, tighten these to 30 and 15 minutes respectively so the color shifts remain meaningful within your cadence.
4. Handle overnight sessions gracefully - If your deadline is set to a morning time and you code past midnight, the countdown may show negative values. Update the script to detect next-day rollovers and display the deadline as tomorrow's target automatically.
5. Keep the Python script in version control - Place deadline-countdown.py in your .claude/scripts/ directory and commit it so every team member gets the same statusline behavior when they clone the repository.

Common Issues

1. Countdown shows negative time - Your current system time has passed the configured deadline. Either update DEADLINE_TIME to a future time or restart Claude Code after setting a new deadline for the next session.
2. Script not found error - The statusline expects the script at .claude/scripts/deadline-countdown.py. Verify the file exists at that path relative to your project root and that Python 3 is available on your system PATH.
3. Git branch shows as empty - You are not inside a git repository or the directory has not been initialized with git init. The countdown timer still works without git, but the branch and file count fields will display placeholder values.