Can I show my Claude Code usage on an e-ink display?

Yes. Open-source plugins for TRMNL read your local Claude Code usage and push it to the display, or you can build your own with an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi and an e-paper panel.

Where does Claude Code store usage data?

Claude Code keeps session logs in the .claude folder in your home directory and reports usage through the /usage command. Dashboard scripts read and summarize these locally.

TRMNL is an e-ink dashboard device that shows plugins on a schedule. You can buy one ready-made or build your own and use TRMNL's service or a self-hosted server.

Can I use an old Kindle as a Claude Code dashboard?

Yes. TRMNL has an open-source Kindle client, so a Kindle can show TRMNL plugins, including Claude Code usage. Getting custom software on a Kindle usually requires jailbreaking it first.

Which e-paper board is easiest for a DIY build?

An ESP32 board with the e-paper display already attached, or a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with a plug-on e-paper HAT. Neither needs soldering.

How often should an e-ink dashboard refresh?

Every 5 to 15 minutes is enough for usage numbers and is easier on the panel. Fast-changing status works better on a color screen.

Does the dashboard send my data anywhere?

It doesn't have to. A DIY build can keep everything on your home network. Hosted services like TRMNL's receive the summary you push to them.

Can Claude Code build the dashboard for me?

Yes. Ask it to write a script that summarizes your usage and firmware for your exact board that fetches and draws it.

Build an e-ink Claude Code usage dashboard

An e-ink Claude Code dashboard shows your usage limits, token spend and session activity on a low-power e-paper screen on your desk. The easiest route is a TRMNL e-ink display with an open-source Claude plugin; the DIY route is an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi with an e-paper panel, with Claude Code writing the code that reads your local usage data.

Why e-ink

E-paper only uses power when the image changes, so a dashboard can sit on your desk all day, readable in any light, without a glowing screen. It's a natural fit for slow-changing numbers like how much of your 5-hour or weekly Claude limit you've used.

What it can show

Usage against your 5-hour and weekly limits
Tokens or cost by day and by project
What sessions are running, and how long they've been going
A simple status: working, waiting for you, idle

The data comes from your own machine. Claude Code keeps session logs in your home folder, under ~/.claude, and reports usage when you run /usage, so a small script can read and summarize them.

Route 1: TRMNL (easiest)

TRMNL is an e-ink dashboard that shows plugins on a schedule. Open-source projects turn it into a Claude Code display:

claude-dashboard-trmnl runs as a private TRMNL plugin. A script parses your local Claude Code session logs and usage, then pushes the results by webhook. It refreshes every 15 minutes and offers several layouts.
trmnl-claude and trmnl-x-claude-codex are alternatives, the second covering Codex too.

You can buy a ready-made TRMNL, or build one yourself from a 7.5 inch e-paper panel and a small ESP32 board, then use TRMNL's service or self-host the server. TRMNL also has a client that turns an old Kindle into a TRMNL display.

Route 2: DIY on an ESP32 or Raspberry Pi

If you'd rather build it from scratch, it's a good vibe coding project:

Pick a board and panel. An ESP32 with an e-paper display built in (for example a Waveshare ESP32-S3 e-paper board), or a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with an e-paper HAT. No soldering needed for either.
Ask Claude Code for the data side. "Write a script that reads my Claude Code usage from ~/.claude and prints today's tokens, my 5-hour and weekly usage, and active sessions as JSON."
Ask for the display side. "Write firmware for my [exact board] that fetches that JSON every 10 minutes over Wi-Fi and draws it on the e-paper screen with large numbers and a progress bar."
Run the script on your computer as a small local server or scheduled job, and point the board at it.

Open-source starting points: clawdometer-eink (an ESP32-S3 e-paper usage meter) and Tokibot, which turns agent activity into an e-ink pet.

Tips

Refresh slowly. Every 5 to 15 minutes is plenty, and e-paper lasts longer with fewer full refreshes.
Design for grayscale. Large numbers and simple bars read best.
Keep it local. Your usage data stays on your machine; the board only needs to reach your computer on your home network.
Partial refresh. Some panels can update part of the screen without the full black-and-white flash. Ask the AI whether yours supports it.

Claude Code desk companions: every build compared
Cheap Yellow Display projects, for a color touchscreen version
Vibe coding hardware ideas

E-ink builds on Afterware are listed below.