About the Pomodoro Timer

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It breaks work into focused 25-minute intervals — called Pomodoros — separated by short breaks. After four Pomodoros, you take a longer break to recover before the next cycle begins.

How a Pomodoro session works

Work (25 min) — focus on a single task with no interruptions
Short break (5 min) — step away, stretch, or rest your eyes
Long break (15–30 min) — taken after every 4 completed Pomodoros

Why it works

Working in short, time-boxed intervals reduces the impact of internal and external interruptions. Knowing a break is coming makes it easier to stay on task. The regular breaks also help prevent mental fatigue, keeping you fresh over longer working sessions.

Customising the timer

The default 25/5 split works well for most people, but you can adjust all three durations in the settings. Popular variations include 50/10 for deep work sessions or 15/5 for tasks that need shorter bursts of concentration.

Browser notifications

Enable browser notifications so the timer can alert you when a session ends — even if you've switched to another tab. You'll be prompted to grant permission the first time you enable this option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique has you work in focused 25-minute blocks (Pomodoros) separated by short 5-minute breaks. After 4 Pomodoros you take a longer 15–30 minute break. The structured intervals help sustain concentration and reduce mental fatigue.

Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs?

Yes. The timer is anchored to the system clock rather than animation frames, so it stays accurate even when the browser tab is backgrounded or the screen locks.

Will it make a sound when a session ends?

Yes — a short triple-beep plays via the Web Audio API. You can also click "Enable browser notifications" to receive a desktop notification when each interval completes.

Who invented the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s while he was a university student. He used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for tomato) to break his study time into 25-minute focused intervals separated by short breaks.

Can I adjust the session lengths?

Yes — use the settings to customise work session length, short break duration, and long break duration. Common variations include 50/10 (50 minutes work, 10 minute break) for deep work, or 15/5 for tasks requiring shorter bursts of focus.

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