There's something oddly satisfying about building a tool that thousands of people might use daily, especially when you decide to do it with zero dependencies. No React, no Vue, no moment.js — just good old-fashioned vanilla JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
Last month, I needed a countdown timer for an upcoming project deadline. I could have downloaded any of the hundreds of countdown apps available. But as developers, we often find ourselves thinking, "I could build this myself in an afternoon." Spoiler alert: it took longer than an afternoon, but the journey was worth it.
The Problem with Existing Solutions
Most countdown timer tools online are either:
Bloated with features I didn't need (who needs a countdown with confetti animations?)
