> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.samita.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.samita.io/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/overview.md).
# Countdown timer overview
The three ways a countdown timer can run, and which one fits your campaign.
A countdown timer is the classic urgency widget: a heading, a subtitle, four ticking numbers, and an optional button. What makes one timer different from another is its **Time type** — the rule that decides what it's counting towards.
The app has three, and you choose one on the **Settings** tab under **Setting timer**.
Time type is the first decision — everything else in the section follows from it.
## Pick your Time type
| Time type | Every shopper sees… | Best for | Guide |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Countdown to a date** | The same deadline, ticking down to one moment | A sale, a launch, a pre-order window | [Count down to a date](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/count-down-to-a-date.md) |
| **Fixed minutes** | Their own timer, starting when they arrive | Always-on urgency with no real deadline | [Fixed minutes per visitor](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/fixed-minutes.md) |
| **Daily recurring timer** | A window that opens and closes on set days | Happy hour, weekday flash sales, daily deals | [Daily recurring timer](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/daily-recurring.md) |
Each guide is a complete walkthrough — from creating the countdown to checking it on your storefront — so you won't need to come back here mid-setup.
## What every timer shares
Whichever mode you pick, the rest of the timer works the same way:
* **Text** — a title, a subtitle, the four unit labels, and an optional button. See [Timer text and button](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/content.md).
* **An ending** — what happens when the clock reaches zero. See [When the timer ends](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/when-the-timer-ends.md).
* **Placement** — product pages automatically, or anywhere with a shortcode. See [Display overview](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/where-countdowns-appear/overview.md).
* **Design** — colors, fonts, background, borders, spacing. See [Design a countdown](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/design-and-translation/design.md).
## Which mode is right?
Use **Countdown to a date** when the deadline is real. A shopper who sees the same clock as everyone else, and can check it against your marketing, will trust it.
Use **Fixed minutes** when you want urgency without a deadline — but be aware every visitor gets their own clock, so two people looking at the same product see different numbers.
Use **Daily recurring** when the offer genuinely repeats: the timer counts down to the end of today's window, then goes away until the next one.
{% hint style="info" %}
Timers work out the remaining time in the shopper's own browser, using their device clock. A shopper whose clock is wrong sees a wrong timer — see [How it works](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/reference/how-it-works.md).
{% endhint %}
## Next steps
* [Count down to a date](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/count-down-to-a-date.md)
* [Fixed minutes per visitor](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/fixed-minutes.md)
* [Daily recurring timer](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/daily-recurring.md)
* [Timer text and button](/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/content.md)
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:
```
GET https://docs.samita.io/samita-countdown-timer-bar/countdown-timer/overview.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
