I learn by making things. Pachino grew from a simple principle:
“Make something useful, and learn what it takes.
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Rather than start with a tool or programming language, I looked for a daily task I could improve. A focus timer was small enough to build independently and useful enough to keep testing.
As a regular iPhone and Mac user, I wanted a Pomodoro timer that felt at home on both platforms and stayed out of the way while I worked.
Designing an Accurate Timer
The first design rule was restraint: a useful tool should be quiet until it is needed. Pachino keeps its controls in predictable places and gives the timer a clear, consistent structure.
The name comes from Pachino, a tomato grown on the southeast coast of Sicily—a nod to the Pomodoro Technique.
A 25-minute focus session can collide with a scheduled meeting. I added an end-time indicator so people could see when a session would finish before starting it. The indicator stays secondary to the countdown.
When people accomplish their daily goals.Daily goals give people a simple way to recognize their progress without adding another task to manage.
Timer screenshot of iOS and macOS.Beyond the Timer
Timer screenshot of iOS and macOS.Breaks needed a different atmosphere from focus sessions. I explored generative visuals with Metal and GLSL, then used p5.js to prototype them quickly in the browser. The resulting zen mode pairs changing graphics with a quiet time display and hides the iOS status bar for a more immersive break.
Designed for Each Platform
I chose to build a dedicated macOS app rather than rely on Catalyst alone. Separating shared content from its platform-specific container let me reuse the core views while adapting the surrounding experience to each device.
The in-app purchase page uses the same view and code in a different container.On macOS, multi-window support makes better use of a larger screen. A menu bar extra keeps the timer within reach without requiring the main window to stay open.
Designed for features of macOS.Sound for Focus
Ambient audio became another part of the experience. After trying options with friends, I added café, subway, ocean, rain, metronome, and seasonal sounds alongside white noise.
Ambient sound options in Pachino.During the travel restrictions of 2021, recordings from cafés in 11 countries offered a small sense of being elsewhere. I also added seasonal soundscapes while developing the app in winter; my cat became an enthusiastic listener to the spring birdsong.
Cafe sound from 11 different countries and four season songs.A high-volume indicator encourages people to turn the audio down when the level gets too loud.
A simple but effective alert for excessive volume.