Clawdmeter: the playful gadget that revolutionizes the use of Claude Code

A Playful Dashboard for Claude Code

An innovative and open-source project called Clawdmeter now allows Claude Code users to visualize their usage statistics in the form of an attractive desktop dashboard. This tool offers AI enthusiasts a unique and entertaining way to track their token consumption.

While it is possible to monitor Claude Code usage directly from the terminal via commands or other tools, the experience is significantly more engaging with Clawdmeter. The latter features an animated pixelated version of the sprite Clawd, who joyfully dances on the screen before providing instant information about token usage.

A Growing Trend in the Developer Community

Clawdmeter is not just a fun gadget. It also reflects the increasing influence of Anthropic within the developer community and the growing interest in "tokenmaxxing." This trend sees engineers maximizing their AI token consumption as an indicator of their technological engagement.

On Reddit, one user joked about the potential for free tokens from Anthropic, while another suggested adding a feature to recharge tokens via a credit card, highlighting the potential risks of such a functionality.

The Origin of the Clawdmeter Project

The idea for Clawdmeter sprouted in the mind of Hermann Haraldsson, a software developer based in Reykjavik, Iceland. In a call with TechCrunch, Haraldsson clarified that he is not an embedded developer, but thanks to Claude, he was able to complete this project in just a few days. He believes that this increased accessibility to programming is a major asset for creators.

Most of his time was spent designing the device, ensuring that the fonts, colors, and animations were perfectly tailored.

How to Build Your Own Clawdmeter

For those looking to create their own Clawdmeter dashboard, a small screen powered by a lithium-ion battery, such as the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-2.16, is recommended. This screen connects to a laptop via Bluetooth. When activated, the screen displays pixelated animations of Clawd, which intensify as token usage increases.

By pressing the central button, users can scroll through different animations. Haraldsson particularly enjoys the frantic animation that triggers during heavy usage, calling it a "little dopamine loop."

Advanced Features and Customization

The animation remains visible until the user presses the central button again, revealing Claude's usage data for the session and the week in the form of simple graphs. Another press allows access to the Bluetooth screen, which displays the connection status and offers a reset option.

Two side buttons enable sending the Space and Shift+Tab commands via Bluetooth to interact with Claude Code's voice modes and mode-switching shortcuts. These features allow switching between different modes, such as Normal mode, "Accept Edits" mode, Plan mode, and Auto mode.

An Expanding Open Source Project

Clawdmeter utilizes Claude Code's OAuth token to make API calls and retrieve usage data directly from response headers. As an open-source project, anyone can fork it and add features, animations, or screens according to their specific needs.

Since its launch on May 10, Clawdmeter has attracted the attention of over 800 users on GitHub, with 50 already forking the project. Haraldsson attributes this enthusiasm to the nostalgic aspect of the device, reminiscent of old hardware gadgets like Walkmans or iPods.

"It's a bit like a hardware Tamagotchi for my context window," commented one user on Reddit. While Clawdmeter does not replace existing digital tools, it offers a fun and engaging experience, concludes Haraldsson.