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Everything you need to connect WakaTime-compatible tooling to Chronova

Chronova Developer Docs · Last updated September 18, 2025

Chronova accepts the same heartbeats and endpoints as WakaTime, so migration is a matter of updating your API key and endpoint. Follow the steps below to get editors and services reporting to your Chronova instance.

API Reference

REST endpoints compatible with WakaTime clients.

Downloads

Mobile, desktop, and browser builds.

Support

Having trouble? Reach out to the Chronova team.

CLI setup guide

Install CLI

Install the official WakaTime client. Chronova is fully compatible with the upstream CLI.

pip install wakatime

Add API key

Generate your Chronova API key in Settings → API and paste it into the CLI.

wakatime --api-key YOUR_API_KEY

Point to Chronova

Edit ~/.wakatime.cfg so the CLI sends heartbeats to Chronova instead of waka-time.com.

[settings]
api_key = YOUR_API_KEY
api_url = https://chronova.dev/api/v1

Verify connection

Run a sanity check to confirm data is flowing from your editor to Chronova.

wakatime --today

Remember

Update api_url to https://chronova.dev/api/v1 (or your self-hosted URL) so heartbeats arrive at Chronova instead of the public WakaTime endpoint.

Editor integrations

Install WakaTime plugins in your editor of choice. They reuse the CLI settings you configured above.

Visual Studio Code

ext install WakaTime.vscode-wakatime

Open the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X) and search for “WakaTime”.

JetBrains IDEs

Settings → Plugins → Marketplace → “WakaTime”

Works with IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, PhpStorm, and Rider.

Neovim/Vim

Plug 'wakatime/vim-wakatime'

Add to your plugin manager (vim-plug example shown above).

Sublime Text

Package Control: Install Package → “WakaTime”

Restart Sublime after installation to initialize the plugin.

View all WakaTime plugins

Frequently asked questions

Chronova vs. WakaTime – what changes?

Chronova is a self-hosted alternative that uses compatible APIs. You keep full ownership of your time-tracking data while using familiar tooling.

Is Chronova endorsed by WakaTime LLC?

No. Chronova is an independent project. WakaTime® is a registered trademark of WakaTime LLC. Compatibility exists for developer convenience only.

Can I mix Chronova and WakaTime?

Yes. You can configure different editors to send data to different endpoints. Just ensure each CLI instance uses the correct API key and api_url.

Trademarks

Chronova is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to WakaTime LLC. WakaTime® remains a registered trademark of WakaTime LLC. All compatibility features are provided solely to help teams migrate while owning their data.

Need help?

Reach out via contact@chronova.dev – include CLI output (wakatime --today) and editor logs for faster troubleshooting.