diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 06ebee3cf..f8cb6e747 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ and this project adheres to
 ### For users
 
 #### Added
+* A timer plugin is added to reflect the time consumed by pdi and its plugins.
 * Improved messages for specification tree errors, with file & line numbers and
   support for file names from Paraconf 1.1,
   [#657](https://github.com/pdidev/pdi/issues/657)
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0b077743a..ded60147b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -76,10 +76,9 @@ option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS        "Build shared libraries rather than static ones"
 option(BUILD_TRACE_PLUGIN       "Build Trace plugin" ON)
 option(BUILD_USER_CODE_PLUGIN   "Build User-code plugin" ON)
 option(BUILD_JSON_PLUGIN        "Build JSON plugin" OFF)
+option(BUILD_TIMER_PLUGIN       "Build Timer plugin" ON)
 option(ENABLE_BENCHMARKING      "Activate benchmarks in the test suite" OFF)
 
-
-
 ### Default build type
 
 if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
@@ -295,9 +294,9 @@ endif()
 ## HDF5
 
 if("${BUILD_DECL_HDF5_PLUGIN}" OR "${BUILD_DECL_NETCDF_PLUGIN}")
-	
+
 	set(HDF5_CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS)
-	
+
 	if("${BUILD_HDF5_PARALLEL}")
 		set(HDF5_PREFER_PARALLEL ON)
 		list(APPEND HDF5_CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS "-DHDF5_ENABLE_PARALLEL:BOOL=ON")
@@ -473,7 +472,7 @@ sbuild_add_module(JSON_PLUGIN
 	ENABLE_BUILD_FLAG BUILD_JSON_PLUGIN
 	SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/plugins/json"
 	DEPENDS PDI JSON
-	SUBSTEPS indent test
+	SUBSTEPS test
 )
 
 
@@ -536,3 +535,10 @@ sbuild_add_module(PDI_API_TESTS
 	INSTALL_COMMAND ""
 	SUBSTEPS test
 )
+
+sbuild_add_module(TIMER_PLUGIN
+	ENABLE_BUILD_FLAG BUILD_TIMER_PLUGIN
+	SOURCE_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/plugins/timer"
+	DEPENDS PDI
+	SUBSTEPS test
+)
diff --git a/example/CMakeLists.txt b/example/CMakeLists.txt
index 30a736faa..2020f0d53 100644
--- a/example/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ option(BUILD_DECL_NETCDF_PLUGIN "Build Decl'NetCDF plug-in"  OFF)
 option(BUILD_FORTRAN            "Build with Fortran support" OFF)
 option(BUILD_PYCALL_PLUGIN      "Build Pycall plug-in"       OFF)
 option(BUILD_PYTHON             "Build with Python support"  OFF)
+option(BUILD_TIMER_PLUGIN       "Build Timer plugin"         OFF)
 option(BUILD_JSON_PLUGIN        "Build JSON plug-in"         OFF)
 option(DISABLE_PDI              "Disable the use of both PDI and Paraconf in the project" OFF)
 
@@ -143,7 +144,6 @@ add_test(NAME PDI_example_json_F COMMAND "${RUNTEST_DIR}" "${MPIEXEC}" "${MPIEXE
 set_property(TEST PDI_example_json_F PROPERTY TIMEOUT 30)
 set_property(TEST PDI_example_json_F PROPERTY PROCESSORS 6)
 endif("${BUILD_FORTRAN}")
-
 endif("${BUILD_JSON_PLUGIN}")
 
 add_test(NAME PDI_example_trace_C COMMAND "${MPIEXEC}" "${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG}" 3 ${MPIEXEC_PREFLAGS} "$<TARGET_FILE:PDI_example_C>" ${MPIEXEC_POSTFLAGS} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/trace.yml")
@@ -161,3 +161,11 @@ add_test(NAME PDI_example_trace_P COMMAND "${MPIEXEC}" "${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG}"
 set_property(TEST PDI_example_trace_P PROPERTY TIMEOUT 15)
 set_property(TEST PDI_example_trace_P PROPERTY PROCESSORS 3)
 endif("${BUILD_PYTHON}")
+
+if("${BUILD_TIMER_PLUGIN}")
+if("${BUILD_DECL_NETCDF_PLUGIN}" AND "${BUILD_DECL_HDF5_PLUGIN}" AND "${BUILD_NETCDF_PARALLEL}")
+add_test(NAME PDI_example_timer COMMAND "${RUNTEST_DIR}" "${MPIEXEC}" "${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG}" 3 ${MPIEXEC_PREFLAGS} "$<TARGET_FILE:PDI_example_C>" ${MPIEXEC_POSTFLAGS} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/timer.yml")
+set_property(TEST PDI_example_timer PROPERTY TIMEOUT 15)
+set_property(TEST PDI_example_timer PROPERTY PROCESSORS 3)
+endif("${BUILD_DECL_NETCDF_PLUGIN}" AND "${BUILD_DECL_HDF5_PLUGIN}" AND "${BUILD_NETCDF_PARALLEL}")
+endif("${BUILD_TIMER_PLUGIN}")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example/timer.yml b/example/timer.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86199b0d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/timer.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# duration in seconds
+duration: 0.75
+# global [height, width] (excluding boundary conditions or ghosts)
+datasize: [60, 12]
+# degree of parallelism
+parallelism: { height: 3, width: 1 }
+
+# only the following config is passed to PDI
+pdi:
+  metadata: # type of small values for which PDI keeps a copy
+    iter:   int                    # current iteration id
+    dsize:  { size: 2, type: array, subtype: int } # local data size including ghosts/boundary
+    psize:  { size: 2, type: array, subtype: int } # number of processes in each dimension
+    pcoord: { size: 2, type: array, subtype: int } # coordinate of the process
+  data: # type of values for which PDI does not keep a copy
+    main_field: { size: [ '$dsize[0]', '$dsize[1]' ], type: array, subtype: double }
+  plugins:
+    trace: debug
+    timer:
+      - timer_h5: "decl_hdf5"
+      - timer_nc:
+          start: "decl_netcdf_start_timer"
+          stop: "decl_netcdf_stop_timer"
+      - timer_user: [pycall, user_code]
+      - timer_json: {start: "json_start_timer", stop: "json_stop_timer"}
+      - timer_pdi: "pdi"
+    mpi:
+    decl_hdf5:
+      file: data.h5
+      communicator: $MPI_COMM_WORLD # the MPI communicator used for HDF5 parallel synchronized write
+      datasets: # type of the datasets to create in file
+        data:
+          type: array
+          subtype: double
+          size: [10, '$psize[0]*($dsize[0]-2)', '$psize[1]*($dsize[1]-2)']
+      write:
+        main_field: # the name of the data to write
+          dataset: data
+          mpio: COLLECTIVE # or INDEPENDENT
+          when: '$iter<10'   # do only write the first 10 iterations (0...9)
+          memory_selection:  # exclude ghosts from the data in memory
+            size:  ['$dsize[0]-2', '$dsize[1]-2']
+            start: [1, 1]
+          dataset_selection: # only write into a single slice in time
+            size:  [1, '$dsize[0]-2', '$dsize[1]-2']
+            start: [$iter, '($dsize[0]-2)*$pcoord[0]', '($dsize[1]-2)*$pcoord[1]']
+    decl_netcdf:
+      file: data.nc
+      communicator: $MPI_COMM_WORLD # the MPI communicator used for HDF5 parallel synchronized write
+      variables: # type of the datasets to create in file
+        v_data:
+          type: array
+          subtype: double
+          size: [10, '$psize[0]*$dsize[0]', '$psize[1]*$dsize[1]']
+      write:
+        main_field: # the name of the data to write
+          variable: v_data
+          when: '$iter<10'   # do only write the first 10 iterations (0...9)
+          variable_selection: # only write into a single slice in time
+            subsize:  [1, '$dsize[0]', '$dsize[1]']
+            start: [$iter, '$dsize[0]*$pcoord[0]', '$dsize[1]*$pcoord[1]']
diff --git a/pdi/docs/CMakeLists.txt b/pdi/docs/CMakeLists.txt
index 739a7b581..d29542ada 100644
--- a/pdi/docs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/pdi/docs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ set(DOXYGEN_INPUT
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/decl_hdf5/README.md"
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/decl_netcdf/README.md"
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/mpi/README.md"
+		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/timer/README.md"
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/trace/README.md"
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/user_code/README.md"
 		"${PDI_SOURCE_DIR}/../plugins/pycall/README.md"
diff --git a/pdi/docs/Plugins.md b/pdi/docs/Plugins.md
index 4d3fa3268..bcc7f662d 100644
--- a/pdi/docs/Plugins.md
+++ b/pdi/docs/Plugins.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 |\subpage JSON_plugin "JSON plugin"                   |Export data in JSON format.                                        |
 |\subpage serialize_plugin "Serialize plugin"         |Serializes and deserializes shared data.                           |
 |\subpage set_value_plugin "Set Value plugin"         |Set values to data and metadata from yaml file.                    |
+|\subpage timer_plugin "Timer plugin"                 |Measure the time spent by PDI and its plugins.                     |
 |\subpage trace_plugin "Trace plugin"                 |Generate a trace of what happens in %PDI data store.               |
 |\subpage user_code_plugin "user-code plugin"         |Call your function on event or when data becomes available.        |
 
diff --git a/pdi/src/pdi.cxx b/pdi/src/pdi.cxx
index f7609752d..de41b7005 100644
--- a/pdi/src/pdi.cxx
+++ b/pdi/src/pdi.cxx
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ try {
 	g_transaction.clear();
 	g_transaction_data.clear();
 	Global_context::init(conf);
+	Global_context::context().event("pdi_start_timer");
 	return PDI_OK;
 } catch (const Error& e) {
 	return g_error_context.return_err(e);
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@ try {
 	Paraconf_wrapper fw;
 	g_transaction.clear();
 	g_transaction_data.clear();
+	Global_context::context().event("pdi_stop_timer");
 	Global_context::finalize();
 	return PDI_OK;
 } catch (const Error& e) {
diff --git a/plugins/decl_hdf5/file_op.cxx b/plugins/decl_hdf5/file_op.cxx
index 1d0b61586..982934f3a 100644
--- a/plugins/decl_hdf5/file_op.cxx
+++ b/plugins/decl_hdf5/file_op.cxx
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ File_op::File_op(Expression&& file, Collision_policy collision_policy)
 
 void File_op::execute(Context& ctx)
 {
+	ctx.event("decl_hdf5_start_timer");
+
 	// first gather the ops we actually want to do
 	vector<Dataset_op> dset_reads;
 	vector<Dataset_op> dset_writes;
@@ -434,6 +436,7 @@ void File_op::execute(Context& ctx)
 
 		ctx.logger().trace("Getting size of `{}' dataset finished", dataset_name);
 	}
+	ctx.event("decl_hdf5_stop_timer");
 	ctx.logger().trace("All operations done in `{}'. Closing the file.", filename);
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.cxx b/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.cxx
index fb8efb0b8..3a3068b23 100644
--- a/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.cxx
+++ b/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.cxx
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ Dnc_variable* Dnc_file_context::variable(const std::string& desc_name, const std
 
 void Dnc_file_context::execute(const std::string& desc_name, PDI::Ref ref)
 {
+	m_ctx.event("decl_netcdf_start_timer");
 	if (m_when.to_long(m_ctx)) {
 		std::list<Dnc_variable> variables_holder; // memory for Variables created from descriptor
 
@@ -276,10 +277,12 @@ void Dnc_file_context::execute(const std::string& desc_name, PDI::Ref ref)
 			nc_file.get_sizeof_variable(size_it->first, dataset_name, ref);
 		}
 	}
+	m_ctx.event("decl_netcdf_stop_timer");
 }
 
 void Dnc_file_context::execute()
 {
+	m_ctx.event("decl_netcdf_start_timer");
 	if (m_when.to_long(m_ctx)) {
 		std::list<Dnc_variable> variables_holder;
 		std::vector<Dnc_variable*> variables_to_get;
@@ -354,6 +357,7 @@ void Dnc_file_context::execute()
 			i++;
 		}
 	}
+	m_ctx.event("decl_netcdf_stop_timer");
 }
 
 } // namespace decl_netcdf
diff --git a/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.h b/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.h
index 60cbb9ac1..f57aee4fd 100644
--- a/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.h
+++ b/plugins/decl_netcdf/dnc_file_context.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*******************************************************************************
- * Copyright (C) 2024 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-2026 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
  * Copyright (C) 2020 Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Science (PSNC)
  * All rights reserved.
  *
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ class Dnc_file_context
 	 * \param other Dnc_file_context to move
 	 */
 	Dnc_file_context(Dnc_file_context&& other) noexcept;
+
+	static std::string pretty_name() { return "Decl'NetCDF"; }
 };
 
 } // namespace decl_netcdf
diff --git a/plugins/json/json.cxx b/plugins/json/json.cxx
index e4c9ab9f9..308f718b9 100644
--- a/plugins/json/json.cxx
+++ b/plugins/json/json.cxx
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ class json_plugin: public PDI::Plugin
 
 	~json_plugin() { context().logger().info("Closing plugin"); }
 
+	static std::string pretty_name() { return "JSON"; }
 
 private:
 	/** Read the configuration file
@@ -328,6 +329,7 @@ class json_plugin: public PDI::Plugin
 	 */
 	void write_data(const std::string& data_name, Ref_r&& reference)
 	{
+		context().event("json_start_timer");
 		Logger& logger = context().logger();
 
 		for (const auto& [condition, fpath]: m_data_to_path_map[data_name]) {
@@ -374,6 +376,7 @@ class json_plugin: public PDI::Plugin
 			}
 			logger.debug("Done ! {} ", data_name);
 		}
+		context().event("json_stop_timer");
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/pycall/pycall.cxx b/plugins/pycall/pycall.cxx
index 84a91eb7e..a87abbb58 100644
--- a/plugins/pycall/pycall.cxx
+++ b/plugins/pycall/pycall.cxx
@@ -153,7 +153,9 @@ class Trigger
 			alias.expose(ctx, pyscope);
 		}
 		try {
+			ctx.event("pycall_start_timer");
 			pybind11::exec(m_code, pyscope);
+			ctx.event("pycall_stop_timer");
 		} catch (const std::exception& e) {
 			ctx.logger().error("while calling python, caught exception: {}", e.what());
 		} catch (...) {
diff --git a/plugins/serialize/serialize.cxx b/plugins/serialize/serialize.cxx
index 7cfd575fb..1e3cab347 100644
--- a/plugins/serialize/serialize.cxx
+++ b/plugins/serialize/serialize.cxx
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ struct serialize_plugin: PDI::Plugin {
 	 */
 	void share_serialized(const std::string& desc_name, PDI::Ref ref)
 	{
+		context().event("serialize_start_timer");
 		std::string serialized_name = m_desc_to_serialize[desc_name];
 		context().logger().debug("Serializing `{}` as `{}`", desc_name, serialized_name);
 		PDI::Datatype_sptr serialized_type = serialize_type(ref.type());
@@ -333,6 +334,7 @@ struct serialize_plugin: PDI::Plugin {
 			);
 			m_serialized_remove_callback.emplace_back(serialized_name, remove_callback, PDI_IN);
 		}
+		context().event("serialize_stop_timer");
 	}
 
 	void release_serialized(const std::string& desc_name, PDI::Ref ref)
diff --git a/plugins/timer/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/timer/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b0313150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#=============================================================================
+# Copyright (C) 2026 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+# * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#   documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+# * Neither the name of CEA nor the names of its contributors may be used to
+#   endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+#   prior written permission.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+# THE SOFTWARE.
+#=============================================================================
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.22...4.2)
+project(pdi_timer_plugin LANGUAGES C CXX)
+
+# Includes
+include(CTest)
+include(GNUInstallDirs)
+
+# PDI
+find_package(PDI REQUIRED COMPONENTS plugins)
+
+# The plugin
+add_library(pdi_timer_plugin MODULE timer.cxx)
+target_link_libraries(pdi_timer_plugin PUBLIC PDI::PDI_plugins)
+
+# Installation
+set(INSTALL_PDIPLUGINDIR "${PDI_DEFAULT_PLUGINDIR}" CACHE PATH "PDI plugins (${PDI_DEFAULT_PLUGINDIR})")
+install(TARGETS pdi_timer_plugin
+		LIBRARY DESTINATION "${INSTALL_PDIPLUGINDIR}"
+)
+
+# Tests
+if("${BUILD_TESTING}")
+	add_subdirectory(tests/)
+endif()
diff --git a/plugins/timer/README.md b/plugins/timer/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d33f61c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Timer plugin {#timer_plugin}
+
+The timer plugin allows measuring time spent by PDI and its plugins.
+
+## Configuration {#timer_configuration}
+
+Simple plugin build:
+```yaml
+plugins:
+  timer: 
+    - timer_A: {start: "decl_hdf5_start_timer", stop: "decl_hdf5_stop_timer"}
+    - timer_B: "decl_hdf5"
+    - timer_C: ["toto", "titi"]
+    - timer_D: 
+        start: "begin_timing"
+        stop: "end_timing"
+    - timer_E: ["pdi"]
+```
+
+The timer plugin configuration contains a list of timer names (e.g. `- timer_A`, `- timer_B`, etc). Each timer will record the time spent between the `start` and `stop` events.
+
+`timer_A` uses a map-styled definition where both keys `start` and `stop` are mandatory.
+
+`timer_B` uses a scalar-styled definition where only the prefix of the timer events is provided. The prefix can be either a user-defined name, or the name of the PDI plugins, such as `decl_hdf5`, `decl_netcdf`, `pycall`, etc. If the prefix is the PDI plugin, internal events named with `prefix_start_timer` and `prefix_stop_timer` will be emitted inside the plugin (except `set_value`). In the above example, `timer_B` is equivalent to `timer_A`.
+
+`timer_C` uses a list-styled definition where a list of prefix is provided. If the name is not one of the PDI plugins' name, then it is the user's responsibility to emit the `prefix_start_timer` and `prefix_stop_timer` events. In this example, `timer_C` will record the time spent between `toto_start_timer`, `toto_stop_timer`, and between `titi_start_timer`, `titi_stop_timer`.
+
+It is also possible to have different names for start and stop events such as `timer_D`. 
+
+To measure the time used by PDI between `PDI_init` and `PDI_finalize`, one can define a timer as shown by `timer_E` with timer prefix "pdi".
diff --git a/plugins/timer/cmake/runtest-dir b/plugins/timer/cmake/runtest-dir
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..e617dbc92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/cmake/runtest-dir
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+WKDIR="$(mktemp -p "${PWD}" -d run-XXXXXXXXXX)"
+function finish {
+  rm -rf "${WKDIR}"
+}
+trap finish EXIT
+
+while [ '--runtest-dir-copy-file' = "$1" ]
+do
+	shift
+	cp "$1" "${WKDIR}/"
+	shift
+done
+
+cd "${WKDIR}"
+
+"$@"
diff --git a/plugins/timer/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/timer/tests/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eda075d3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#=============================================================================
+# Copyright (C) 2026 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+# * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+#   documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+# * Neither the name of CEA nor the names of its contributors may be used to
+#   endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+#   prior written permission.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLEq FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+# THE SOFTWARE.
+#=============================================================================
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.22...4.2)
+
+if(NOT TARGET GTest::gtest)
+	option(INSTALL_GTEST "Enable installation of googletest. (Projects embedding googletest may want to turn this OFF.)" OFF)
+	add_subdirectory("../../../vendor/googletest-56efe39/" "googletest" EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
+endif()
+include(GoogleTest)
+
+set(RUNTEST_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../cmake/runtest-dir")
+
+# Add the plugin path to PDI_PLUGIN_PATH
+set_property(DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}" PROPERTY TEST_INCLUDE_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/TestPath.cmake")
+file(GENERATE OUTPUT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/TestPath.cmake"
+     CONTENT "
+set(PDI_PLUGIN_PATH \"\$ENV{PDI_PLUGIN_PATH}\")\n
+if(\"x\${PDI_PLUGIN_PATH}x\" STREQUAL xx)\n
+set(ENV{PDI_PLUGIN_PATH} \"\$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:pdi_timer_plugin>\")\n
+else()\n
+set(ENV{PDI_PLUGIN_PATH} \"\$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:pdi_timer_plugin>:\${PDI_PLUGIN_PATH}\")\n
+endif()
+"
+)
+find_package(MPI REQUIRED)
+
+add_executable(timer_test timer_test.cxx )
+target_link_libraries(timer_test PDI::PDI_C MPI::MPI_CXX)
+target_compile_features(timer_test PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
+
+add_test(NAME timer_test COMMAND "${RUNTEST_DIR}" "${MPIEXEC}" "${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG}" 1 ${MPIEXEC_PREFLAGS} "$<TARGET_FILE:timer_test>" ${MPIEXEC_POSTFLAGS})
+set_property(TEST timer_test PROPERTY TIMEOUT 15)
+set_property(TEST timer_test PROPERTY PROCESSORS 1)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/timer/tests/timer_test.cxx b/plugins/timer/tests/timer_test.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db4063e38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/tests/timer_test.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (C) 2026 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ * * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *   forcumentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ * * Neither the name of CEA nor the names of its contributors may be used to
+ *   enforrse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+ *   prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+ * THE SOFTWARE.
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#include <mpi.h>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <pdi.h>
+
+#define IMX 50
+#define JMX 40
+#define NI_GHOST 1
+#define NJ_GHOST 2
+#define DIM 2
+
+constexpr char CONFIG_YAML[] = R"(
+logging: debug
+metadata:
+  input: int
+  ni: int
+  nj: int
+  nig: int
+  njg: int
+  nit: int
+  njt: int
+  istart: int
+  jstart: int
+data:
+  reals:
+    type: array
+    subtype: double
+    size: [$nj + 2*$njg, $ni + 2*$nig]
+    subsize: [$nj, $ni]
+    start: [$njg, $nig]
+  values:
+    type: array
+    subtype: int
+    size: [$nj + 2*$njg, $ni + 2*$nig]
+    subsize: [$nj, $ni]
+    start: [$njg, $nig]
+plugins:
+  timer: 
+    - timer_pdi: "pdi"
+)";
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[])
+{
+	const int icst = -1; /// constants values in the ghost nodes
+	const double rcst = -1.01;
+
+	int nig = NI_GHOST, njg = NJ_GHOST;
+	int ni = IMX, nj = JMX;
+	int values[JMX + 2 * NJ_GHOST][IMX + NI_GHOST * 2] = {{0}}, cp_values[JMX + 2 * NJ_GHOST][IMX + NI_GHOST * 2] = {{0}};
+	double reals[JMX + 2 * NJ_GHOST][IMX + NI_GHOST * 2] = {{0}}, cp_reals[JMX + 2 * NJ_GHOST][IMX + NI_GHOST * 2] = {{0}};
+	int i, j, input;
+	int nit, njt;
+
+	/// MPI and parallel data or info
+	int dims[DIM], coord[DIM], periodic[DIM];
+	int istart, jstart;
+	MPI_Comm comm2D;
+	periodic[0] = 0;
+	periodic[1] = 0;
+	dims[0] = 1;
+	dims[1] = 1;
+
+	int provided;
+	MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
+
+	PC_tree_t conf = PC_parse_string(CONFIG_YAML);
+	MPI_Comm world = MPI_COMM_WORLD;
+
+	PDI_init(conf);
+
+	int rank;
+	MPI_Comm_rank(world, &rank);
+	int size;
+	MPI_Comm_size(world, &size);
+
+	MPI_Cart_create(world, DIM, dims, periodic, 0, &comm2D);
+	MPI_Cart_coords(comm2D, rank, DIM, coord);
+
+	istart = coord[1] * ni;
+	jstart = coord[0] * nj;
+
+	nit = 2 * ni;
+	njt = 2 * nj;
+
+	PDI_expose("nig", &nig, PDI_OUT); /// Ghost cells
+	PDI_expose("njg", &njg, PDI_OUT);
+
+	PDI_expose("ni", &ni, PDI_OUT); /// Size of the portion of the array for a given MPI task
+	PDI_expose("nj", &nj, PDI_OUT);
+
+	PDI_expose("nit", &nit, PDI_OUT); ///  size of the distributed array
+	PDI_expose("njt", &njt, PDI_OUT);
+
+	PDI_expose("istart", &istart, PDI_OUT); /// offset
+	PDI_expose("jstart", &jstart, PDI_OUT);
+
+	// Fill arrays
+	for (j = 0; j < nj + 2 * njg; ++j) {
+		for (i = 0; i < ni + 2 * nig; ++i) {
+			cp_values[j][i] = icst;
+			cp_reals[j][i] = rcst; /// array initialized with const values
+		}
+	}
+	/// Values and reals == 0 in the ghost.
+	double cst = -rcst;
+	for (j = njg; j < nj + njg; ++j) {
+		for (i = nig; i < ni + nig; ++i) {
+			values[j][i] = (i + coord[1] * ni - nig) + (j + coord[0] * nj - njg) * 10;
+			reals[j][i] = (i + coord[1] * ni - nig) * cst + (j + coord[0] * nj - njg) * 10 * cst;
+		}
+	}
+
+	PDI_expose("rank", &rank, PDI_OUT);
+	PDI_expose("input", &input, PDI_OUT);
+
+	///  Test that export/exchange works
+	PDI_multi_expose("", "reals", &reals, PDI_OUT, "values", &values, PDI_INOUT, NULL);
+
+	PDI_finalize();
+	PC_tree_destroy(&conf);
+	MPI_Finalize();
+}
diff --git a/plugins/timer/timer.cxx b/plugins/timer/timer.cxx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02bc4597b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/timer/timer.cxx
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Copyright (C) 2026 Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA)
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ * * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *   documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ * * Neither the name of CEA nor the names of its contributors may be used to
+ *   endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+ *   prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+ * THE SOFTWARE.
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#include <chrono>
+#include <string>
+#include <unordered_map>
+
+#include <pdi/context.h>
+#include <pdi/logger.h>
+#include <pdi/plugin.h>
+
+namespace {
+
+using namespace PDI;
+
+/** The timer plugin 
+*/
+class timer_plugin: public PDI::Plugin
+{
+	// Map of timer's name and timer's starting point
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::time_point> start_times;
+
+	// Map of timer's name and timer's duration
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, double> accumulated_times;
+
+	// Map of start event, and different timers to be started
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> > start_events;
+
+	// Map of start event, and different timers to be stopped
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<std::string> > stop_events;
+
+public:
+	timer_plugin(Context& ctx, PC_tree_t spec_tree)
+		: Plugin{ctx}
+	{
+		read_config_tree(ctx, spec_tree);
+
+		ctx.callbacks().add_event_callback([this](const std::string& name) {
+			if (start_events.find(name) != start_events.end()) {
+				for (const auto& event_name: start_events[name]) {
+					startTimer(event_name);
+				}
+			}
+
+			if (stop_events.find(name) != stop_events.end()) {
+				for (const auto& event_name: stop_events[name]) {
+					stopTimer(event_name);
+				}
+			}
+		});
+
+		ctx.logger().info("Plugin loaded successfully");
+	}
+
+	~timer_plugin()
+	{
+		for (const auto& [name, duration]: accumulated_times) {
+			context().logger().info("Total time spent for {} : {} seconds", name, duration);
+		}
+		context().logger().info("Closing plugin");
+	}
+
+	static std::string pretty_name() { return "Timer"; }
+
+private:
+	/** Read the configuration file
+	 *
+	 * \param logger PDI's logger instance
+	 * \param spec_tree the yaml tree
+	 */
+	void read_config_tree(Context& ctx, PC_tree_t spec_tree)
+	{
+		if (PC_status(spec_tree)) {
+			ctx.logger().error("Error in read_config_tree");
+			return;
+		}
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < len(spec_tree, 0); i++) {
+			PC_tree_t timer_item = PC_get(spec_tree, "[%d]", i);
+			std::string timer_name = to_string(PC_get(timer_item, "{0}"));
+
+			PC_tree_t val = PC_get(timer_item, ".%s", timer_name.c_str());
+			if (is_map(val)) {
+				ctx.logger().debug("Defined timer (map-styled): {}", timer_name);
+				auto start_ev = to_string(PC_get(val, ".start"));
+				auto stop_ev = to_string(PC_get(val, ".stop"));
+				register_timer(start_ev, stop_ev, timer_name);
+			} else {
+				ctx.logger().debug("Defined timer (scalar/list-styled): {}", timer_name);
+				opt_each(val, [&](PC_tree_t sub_elem) {
+					auto start_ev = to_string(sub_elem) + "_start_timer";
+					auto stop_ev = to_string(sub_elem) + "_stop_timer";
+					register_timer(start_ev, stop_ev, timer_name);
+				});
+			}
+		}
+		print_timer_property();
+	}
+
+	void register_timer(std::string& start_event, std::string& stop_event, std::string& timer_name)
+	{
+		start_events[start_event].push_back(timer_name);
+		stop_events[stop_event].push_back(timer_name);
+	}
+
+	void print_timer_property()
+	{
+		context().logger().debug("All registered timers: ");
+		for (const auto& [key, value]: start_events) {
+			context().logger().debug("event [{}] starts timer ", key);
+			for (auto n: value) {
+				context().logger().debug(" \t\t {} ", n);
+			}
+		}
+		for (const auto& [key, value]: stop_events) {
+			context().logger().debug("event [{}] stops timer ", key);
+			for (auto n: value) {
+				context().logger().debug(" \t\t {} ", n);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	void startTimer(const std::string& name)
+	{
+		if (start_times.find(name) != start_times.end()) {
+			context().logger().error("Timer for {} is already running. Ignoring the start", name);
+			return;
+		}
+		start_times[name] = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
+	}
+
+	// Stop a timer and accumulate the duration
+	void stopTimer(const std::string& name)
+	{
+		auto it = start_times.find(name);
+		if (it == start_times.end()) {
+			context().logger().error("Cannot end timer for {}  because it was never started.", name);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		auto end_time = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
+		std::chrono::duration<double> elapsed = end_time - start_times[name];
+
+		accumulated_times[name] += elapsed.count();
+		start_times.erase(it);
+	}
+};
+
+} // namespace
+PDI_PLUGIN(timer)
diff --git a/plugins/user_code/user_code.cxx b/plugins/user_code/user_code.cxx
index 7b25626bb..bbd19096a 100644
--- a/plugins/user_code/user_code.cxx
+++ b/plugins/user_code/user_code.cxx
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ class Trigger
 	/// call the function that has been registered
 	void call(Context& ctx)
 	{
+		ctx.event("user_code_start_timer");
 		// all exposed aliases that will be unexposed on destroy
 		vector<ExposedAlias> exposed_aliases;
 		for (auto&& alias: m_aliases) {
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ class Trigger
 		} catch (...) {
 			ctx.logger().error("While calling user code, caught exception");
 		}
+		ctx.event("user_code_stop_timer");
 	}
 
 }; // class Trigger