Improve automation speed: skip login via Kernel profiles + managed auth

[milldr]

Problem

Every crono command spins up a fresh browser session and logs into Cronometer from scratch. The login flow adds ~10-15 seconds to every single command. For something that should feel like a quick CLI tool, this is the biggest bottleneck.

Proposed Solution

Kernel has a Managed Auth feature that stores authenticated sessions via profiles. Instead of logging in every time, you'd:

1. Run a one-time crono login that creates a Kernel profile + managed auth connection for Cronometer
2. Every subsequent command launches a browser that's already logged in — skipping the entire login flow

This could cut command execution time roughly in half.

Blocker

Kernel profiles appear to require a paid plan (~$30/month). For a free/hobby CLI tool, that's not justifiable right now. If Kernel adds profiles to the free tier or offers a cheaper option, this becomes the obvious next step.

Alternatives Considered

• Batch commands in a single session: Instead of one browser session per command, intelligently compose the Playwright script ahead of time and send it to Kernel in a single session. For example, crono log ... && crono diary could share one browser/login instead of two. Doesn't eliminate the login overhead, but amortizes it across multiple operations.
• Cookie/session export: Save Cronometer session cookies locally and inject them into new browser sessions. Fragile — cookies expire, and Cronometer may invalidate sessions.
• Long-lived browser: Keep a browser session running in the background and reuse it. Not practical with Kernel — long-running browsers would get expensive fast.

Want this?

If faster commands would be useful to you, thumbs-up this issue. If you have other ideas for skipping or speeding up the login flow, leave a comment!