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Step 4: Sessions
Track focus and break sessions with auto-switching.
Where We Are
You have a working countdown timer. Now let’s make it a proper Pomodoro — alternating between focus and break periods.
Define Session Types
Create a model to represent session types:
- Focus session (default: 25 minutes)
- Short break (default: 5 minutes)
- Long break (default: 15 minutes, every 4 focus sessions)
Track which session type is currently active.
Change the ring color based on session type:
- Focus = orange or red
- Break = green or tealAuto-Switch Sessions
When a timer finishes:
- If it was a focus session, switch to a break
- If it was a break, switch to the next focus session
- Every 4 focus sessions, use a long break instead of a short one
- Automatically start the next session's timer
Show the current session type as a label above the ring
(e.g., "Focus" or "Break").Track Completed Sessions
Keep a count of completed focus sessions.
Display it below the timer controls, like:
- "Sessions: 3 / 4" (where 4 means a long break is coming)
- Or show small dots/circles that fill in as sessions complete
Reset the count when the user wants to start fresh.Settings Screen
Make the gear button open a settings sheet where users can adjust:
- Focus duration (slider or picker, 1-60 minutes)
- Short break duration (1-15 minutes)
- Long break duration (5-30 minutes)
- Sessions before long break (2-8)
Save these settings with @AppStorage so they persist.
When settings change, reset the current timer.Test It
- Set focus to 1 minute and break to 30 seconds (for testing)
- Start the timer
- Let focus complete — it should switch to a break automatically
- Let the break complete — it should switch back to focus
- Watch the session counter increase
- After 4 focus sessions, the break should be longer
Checkpoint
By now you should have:
- Focus and break sessions alternate automatically
- Ring color changes per session type
- Session counter tracks progress
- Settings let you customize durations
- Long break triggers after 4 focus sessions
What You Learned
- Enums for session state management
- @AppStorage for simple persistence
- Building a settings screen with sheets
- State machines (focus → break → focus)