Countdown not counting down at all

I confirm the module does not work as expected, I can see that issue in both 7.x and 8.x versions. The JavaScript code expects the numbers be wrapped in 's, however they are not. Fixing it was a part of a @burt.lo's patch in #2. Here's a 8.x patch.

Also confirming the module doesn't work as expected. I tested alex's patch ( https://www.drupal.org/project/countdown/issues/1591730#comment-15756791 🐛 Countdown not counting down at all Needs review ) in a sandbox with Drupal 10.3 and branch 8.x-1.x-dev, but the only apparent change was the numbers are now displaying in italics per the tags. The timer is still not counting down dynamically, but only shows a change in countdown time when you refresh/visit the page.

@hannakras I suggest you to have a look at https://www.drupal.org/project/countdown/issues/796110 🐛 Day is cached Needs review and the MR there. I ended up reworking the whole module.

Thank you, @alex.bukach. I tested your MR, and it is counting down as expected now. I will comment over in that ticket as well.

This long-standing issue has been completely resolved in the 8.x-1.11 major refactor.

Solution implemented:

The module now features a brand new CountdownTimer library (vanilla JavaScript, ES6) with:

• Real-time countdown mode - Live countdown with configurable precision (seconds to milliseconds)
• Drift compensation algorithm - Maintains accuracy over extended periods
• Zero dependencies - Pure vanilla JS, no jQuery required
• IIFE/UMD pattern - Modern architecture compatible with Drupal 8/9/10/11
• Auto-start capability - Begins counting immediately on page load
• Dual-mode rendering:
  • Static mode (server-side, SEO-friendly)
  • Real-time mode (client-side, dynamic countdown)

The JavaScript now properly initializes and continuously updates the countdown display, completely eliminating the "frozen time" issue.

To enable real-time countdown:

1. Edit your countdown block
2. Select "Real-time JavaScript countdown" under Render Mode
3. Configure precision (seconds recommended for most use cases)

Download 8.x-1.11: https://www.drupal.org/project/countdown/releases/8.x-1.11 →

Please test with the new version. If you encounter any issues, open a new issue with your specific configuration.

Fixed in: 8.x-1.11

Closing this issue as definitively fixed.

What was the problem:

The countdown displayed static time without real-time updates.

How it's fixed in 8.x-1.11:

• New CountdownTimer library with real-time countdown
• Drift compensation for accuracy
• Multiple precision levels (seconds to milliseconds)
• Lightweight vanilla JavaScript (no jQuery dependency)
• Modern ES6 architecture (IIFE/UMD pattern)
• Full Drupal 8/9/10/11 compatibility

Key improvements:

• Performance: Optimized render loop with configurable update frequency
• Accuracy: Drift compensation maintains precision over hours/days
• Compatibility: Works with all modern browsers and Drupal versions
• Size: ~2KB gzipped, zero external dependencies

Upgrade path:

composer update drupal/countdown
drush updatedb
drush cache:rebuild

Configuration:

Simply switch to "Real-time JavaScript countdown" in block settings to enable the dynamic countdown feature.

The architecture has been completely modernized to prevent this issue from recurring. Should you experience any problems with the new implementation, please open a new issue with:

• Drupal version
• Browser details
• Block configuration export

Thank you for your patience with this long-standing issue. The wait is over - real-time countdown is here!