I built a simple todo app that actually gets out of your way

#javascript #tooling #productivity #opensource

You download a productivity app to track simple tasks, then spend 20 minutes setting up projects, categories, and integrations just to add "buy milk" to a list.

I got fed up and built Zenith - a task manager that strips away everything except what you actually need.

The Problem with Modern Todo Apps

Most task managers suffer from feature creep. They want to be project management systems, team platforms, and life coaches all in one. The result? Apps that take longer to set up than your actual tasks.

What frustrated me most:

Complex onboarding and account creation
Feature overload (subtasks, dependencies, custom fields)
Web-based limitations requiring constant internet
Too many ways to organize one simple task

What I Built Instead

Zenith is a desktop app with one philosophy: task management should be fast and simple.

Core Features

Visual calendar - Click any date to add tasks
Drag & drop - Move tasks between dates easily
One-click completion - No ceremony, just check it off
Color coding - Six colors for visual organization
Analytics dashboard - Simple productivity trends

What I Left Out

No user accounts or cloud sync
No team collaboration
No complex project hierarchies
No integrations with dozens of services
No subscription pricing

Technical Stack

I kept it as simple as the UX:

Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3
Backend: Express.js with REST API
Database: SQLite (single file)
Desktop: Electron for cross-platform

The entire database is one table with 12 fields. The API is 5 endpoints. That's it.

Design Philosophy

Every feature decision came down to: "Does this help someone quickly add, complete, or reschedule a task?"

If no, it didn't make it in. This led to interesting constraints:

No subtasks (break complex tasks into separate ones)
Same-day deadlines only (focus on today)
Limited time estimates (30 min to 8 hours)

Why It Works

It's fast. Adding a task takes 5 seconds vs navigating menus and forms.

It stays hidden. No upgrade prompts, no feature tips, no social elements.

Constraints help. Fewer options make you more decisive about priorities.

What's Next

Probably nothing major. The whole point is that it's done. It does what it needs to do.
I might fix bugs, but I won't add AI assistants or any bs. Zenith will remain a tool that gets out of your way.

Try Zenith: https://github.com/sardanioss/zenith

Built for people who believe task management should be simple, not complicated.