Back in 2019, after trying tools like Trello and Jira, I started noticing a pattern: they were powerful… but also way more complex than what I actually needed for my day-to-day work.
Too many configurations, too many clicks, too many features I never used.
I just wanted to organize tasks quickly and keep working.
So I did what most developers eventually do: I built my own tool.
The idea: real simplicity
From the start, the goal was clear:
- Build an extremely simple kanban
- Focus on speed
- Clean, distraction-free interface
- Zero friction to create and move tasks
This wasn’t about competing with Jira — it was about doing the opposite.
Technical decisions
Since I already work a lot with Python, I went with:
- Flask for the backend (lightweight and straightforward)
- Frontend with plain HTML/CSS/JS (no overengineering)
- A structure designed to be fast and easy to maintain
I intentionally avoided heavy frontend frameworks to keep performance high and maintain full control.
The twist: AI inside the board
Over time, I started experimenting with adding AI directly into the workflow.
Now the system includes a chatbot that interacts with the board itself. It’s not just a separate chat — it actually understands the task context.
You can:
- Create tasks using natural language
- Move cards
- Extract insights from the board
- Automate small actions
This changed how I use kanban on a daily basis.
From side project to product
For a long time, this was just a personal tool.
But recently, I decided to turn it into a real product:
- Free version
- Paid version
- Focused on developers and small teams
It’s still evolving, but it already solves the problem that made me build it in the first place.
Final thoughts
In the end, this wasn’t about building “just another tool”.
It was about removing unnecessary complexity and getting back to basics — now with a modern touch using AI.
If you feel like tools like Jira are overkill for your workflow, it might be worth rethinking how much complexity you actually need.
I ended up turning this into a product called Kanbe, and you can check it out here: https://kanbe.tech
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