About the App
What is Life on Track?
As I mentioned in my first blog, here I am with my first web app, Life on Track. This app is designed to help you organize, observe, and track anything in your life in a fun and motivating way by visualizing and gamifying the process.
The inspiration came from my girlfriend's bullet journal, particularly the beautiful pixel tables she created. However, creating and maintaining those pixel tables manually seemed tedious and time-consuming. While I know many people enjoy such creative processes, I started wondering if there was an easier way to generate these tables through an app.
After some research, I found habit tracker apps that were somewhat similar but not quite what I had in mind. I also discovered that pixel table templates sold on platforms like Etsy had high demand, despite being static PDFs with limited customization options. So, I decided to create an app that allows users to track their pixel tables digitally, while preserving the feel of a bullet journal.
The App's Purpose
The core features of Life on Track are My Tables and My Journal:
My Tables: A place to view and manage all your pixel tables and input daily data.
My Journal: Your digital journal, where you can display selected tables (public or private), decorate your pages with stickers earned through achievements, and share them with friends who follow you on the app.
The goal is to make tracking enjoyable, visually appealing, and personal. You can explore the app in more detail getting started with Life on Track.
What Makes Life on Track Different?
There are many habit tracker apps out there, but what sets Life on Track apart are two key features:
A digital journal you can decorate and share: Unlike other apps, you have a personal space to showcase your progress creatively using stickers and share it with friends.
Detailed and customizable tracking: Most habit trackers only allow simple "yes" or "no" inputs. For example, "Did you drink 5 glasses of water today?" But with Life on Track, you can track detailed ranges (e.g., how much water you drank daily throughout the year) and assign colors to each range. This way, you get a clear and visually appealing overview of your progress.
Additionally, Life on Track isn't limited to habits - you can track anything you want!
What's Next for Life on Track?
We have plenty of ideas to enhance and grow the app, but our primary goal is to develop it based on user feedback. In the near future, we plan to launch a feedback interface where users can report issues, suggest improvements, and share their thoughts. This will ensure that our updates align with what our users truly want.
How to Get Started
Currently, Life on Track is available as a web app. You can sign up here, verify your email, and start your 7-day free trial. During the trial, you'll have full access to all features, and we won't ask for any payment information upfront.
Once the trial ends, you can choose between monthly or yearly subscriptions to continue using the app. You can cancel anytime, and we'll securely store your data so you can return and pick up where you left off.
You can access the platform directly from Life on Track. And if you'd like to quickly explore how to create a table in Life on Track and see how the virtual journal works, you can check out the interactive demo provided by Life on Track. Interactive Demo
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me anytime.
The Technical Side
Let me start by saying that this section won't be a detailed tutorial about specific tools or technologies. Instead, I'll share why I chose certain tools, the mistakes I made, and what I learned throughout the process.
Technologies I Used
Frontend:
I used TypeScript, React, and TailwindCSS. TypeScript helped me catch errors early, which is especially useful when working solo. I chose React because I was already familiar with it and wanted to improve my Redux skills. Redux also helped reduce unnecessary backend requests.
Backend:
I opted for Express.js as it's beginner-friendly and a great starting point for someone new to backend development.
Database:
I used MongoDB for its simplicity and flexibility, especially for a project like this.
Mistakes I Made
Like any first-time project, I made plenty of mistakes. Here are the ones that stood out:
Launching as a web app first:
Developing for the web brought challenges like browser compatibility, CORS issues, and the complexities of responsive design. While I enjoy working on the web for its flexibility, these extra hurdles made the process more time-consuming than I anticipated.
Feature creep:
As I worked on the app, I kept coming up with new ideas and tried to implement them all at once. This made the initial version overly complex and delayed the launch. A more focused approach with a clear MVP (Minimum Viable Product) would've saved a lot of time.
Late promotion:
I should've started promoting the app earlier, writing blogs, and gathering user interest before development. I didn't validate the idea thoroughly before starting, though I still firmly believe it's a solid concept.
What's Next?
Looking ahead, I see two possible paths:
The app gains traction:
If Life on Track sees positive user engagement, my priority will be to release the feedback interface and start working on the mobile app, aiming for a launch within 1–2 months.
The app struggles to gain traction:
If things don't go as planned, I'll take the lessons I've learned and apply them to one of the many ideas I have for future projects.
Regardless of the outcome, I'll continue developing Life on Track because I truly enjoy working on it, and for me, that's what matters most.
Thank you for reading about my journey with Life on Track. I hope this blog gave you some insights into the process of building a web app from scratch. If you have any feedback or questions, I'd love to hear from you!
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