TIME-BASED DYNAMIC USER INTERFACE ELEMENTS

Methods and systems for providing user interfaces that include content selected based on when the user interface is being provided are disclosed. A temporal engine residing on a host computer system provides a user interface that includes content selected based on when the user interface is being provided. The computer system includes a data store having one or more predefined time periods, each of which is defined, at least in part, by a span of time or by a set of conditions being satisfied, and is associated with a predefined set of user interface elements. The temporal engine determines, for each predefined time period, whether the set of conditions that defines the time period is satisfied. If so, the temporal engine causes a user interface to be provided that is based on the set of user interface elements associated with the time period. The temporal engine continues running in the background on the host computer system and dynamically updates the user interface whenever one predefined time period ends and another begins.