HourTotal stores time card data entirely in the URL, requiring no login or backend
A developer built HourTotal, a time card calculator that encodes all work-hour data directly into the page URL as a base64url-encoded JSON fragment, eliminating the need for accounts or server storage. The tool supports up to two punch pairs per day across a five-day workweek, along with pay rate and overtime settings, compressing to roughly 390–650 characters of JSON. Because browsers exclude the URL fragment from HTTP requests, sensitive payroll data never reaches servers, CDN logs, or third-party platforms like Slack. After early issues with Safari's replaceState rate limit, the developer added a 500ms debounce so the URL updates shortly after each edit rather than on every keystroke. Sharing a time card is as simple as sending the link, which reopens the identical filled-in calculator for anyone who receives it.
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