Hey everyone,
I recently built and released my first desktop app: FocusFlow.
FocusFlow is a clean Windows productivity app for managing tasks, running focus sessions, taking breaks, and tracking progress.
This was my first full app that I planned, built, packaged, and published, so I wanted to share the project, what I learned, and the tools I used.
What is FocusFlow?
FocusFlow is a local-first productivity app for Windows.
It helps you:
Create tasks
Set task priorities
Run focus sessions
Take break sessions
Track your progress
Export and backup your data
The idea was to build something simple and useful without accounts, cloud sync, subscriptions, or unnecessary complexity.
Everything is stored locally on the user’s computer.
Features
FocusFlow currently includes:
Task list with priorities
Focus timer
Break timer
Dashboard overview
Productivity stats
Recent focus sessions
Recent completed tasks
System notifications
Completion sound
Editable focus and break durations
Dark, light, and system theme options
CSV export
Local database backup
Protected reset option
Local-first SQLite storage
Tech Stack
I built FocusFlow with:
Python
CustomTkinter for the desktop UI
SQLite for local data storage
PyInstaller for packaging the app into a Windows executable
Plyer for system notifications
Why I Built It
I wanted to make a productivity app that was simple, clean, and actually useful.
A lot of productivity tools either feel too complicated, require an account, or depend on cloud syncing. I wanted FocusFlow to be:
Simple
Fast
Local-first
Easy to use
Good for focused work
It also gave me a chance to learn how to build a real desktop app from start to finish.
Building the UI
For the UI, I used CustomTkinter.
I chose it because it makes Python desktop apps look more modern than standard Tkinter while still being beginner-friendly.
The app has a sidebar layout with pages for:
Dashboard
Tasks
Timer
Stats
Settings
This structure made it easier to organize the app and add features step by step.
Local Data with SQLite
I used SQLite because it is built into Python and works really well for a local desktop app.
FocusFlow stores:
Tasks
Completed task history
Focus sessions
App settings
The database is stored locally in the user’s app data folder.
On Windows, that is usually:
text
C:\Users\YOUR_NAME\AppData\Local\FocusFlow
This means users do not need an account, and their data stays on their own computer.
Timer and Productivity Tracking
The timer supports both:
Focus sessions
Break sessions
Focus sessions are saved into the database and shown in the dashboard and stats pages.
Break sessions are not counted as focus time, but they help create a basic Pomodoro-style workflow.
When a session finishes, the app shows a popup, plays a sound, and sends a system notification.
Export and Backup
One feature I really wanted was data control.
So I added:
Export focus sessions to CSV
Export completed tasks to CSV
Backup the full SQLite database
Reset all data with a strong confirmation
For reset, the user has to type:
text
RESET
before anything is deleted.
That made the app feel safer and more complete.
Packaging with PyInstaller
After the app was working, I packaged it with PyInstaller.
The final build creates a Windows app folder containing:
text
FocusFlow.exe
I also added a custom icon and release files like:
README
License
QA checklist
Release script
The app can now be downloaded and run without opening a terminal or installing Python manually.
What I Learned
This project taught me a lot about:
Building desktop UIs with Python
Organizing app features
Working with SQLite
Saving user settings
Creating timers
Handling notifications
Exporting CSV files
Backing up local databases
Packaging Python apps
Preparing a project for release
The biggest lesson was that building a real app is not just about writing code. It also involves polish, data safety, packaging, testing, and making the app understandable for users.
Challenges
Some of the tricky parts were:
Making the UI feel modern
Keeping data persistent after closing the app
Making the timer reliable
Handling focus and break modes correctly
Making exports and backups safe
Packaging the app with the correct icon
Making the app store data in the right location
Each problem taught me something new.
Download
You can download FocusFlow here:
https://dinnos303.itch.io/focusflow
GitHub:
https://github.com/Dinnos303/FocusFlow
Feedback
I would really appreciate feedback on:
The UI
The feature set
The app idea
What I should improve next
Whether this is useful enough to keep developing
This is my first released app, so any feedback is helpful.
Thanks for reading!****
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