Mini Kanban — Lightweight Browser-Based Project Task Board for Developers
About this tool
A Kanban Board That Lives in Your Browser — No Login, No Server
Most project management tools ask for an account before you can create a single task. Mini Kanban starts immediately — open it and your first project is ready with four columns. Everything is stored in your browser's IndexedDB. No data ever leaves your device.
Mini Kanban is designed for developers, freelancers, and solo workers who need a lightweight task board without the overhead of Jira, Linear, or Trello. No workspace setup, no inviting teammates, no billing. Create a project, add tasks to columns, and start moving work forward.
Multiple projects, one board. Switch between projects using the project dropdown in the header. Each project has its own columns, tasks, and archived items, completely isolated from others. Rename any project with the pencil icon. Project names must be unique.
Columns built for your workflow. Every project starts with four columns — To Do, In Progress, Done, and Saved. Click the caret (⌄) next to any column to rename or delete it. Add unlimited custom columns for stages like Blocked, In Review, or Deployed. The name "Archived" is reserved — it's used by the built-in archive system.
Task details that persist across sessions. Click any task card to open a slide-in panel. Write a full task name and multi-line description — notes, instructions, acceptance criteria, implementation details. The panel shows the task's created date and last modified date. Everything auto-saves as you type: edits are committed five seconds after you stop typing, or immediately when you click out of a field. A green "Saved" indicator confirms each save.
Due dates on every task. Set a due date on any task using the date picker in the task panel. The card on the board shows a status badge that updates automatically: red "Overdue" if the date has passed, amber "Today" if it's due today, orange for Tomorrow or within three days, and a plain date for anything further out. Clear the due date with one click when it's no longer needed.
Checklists inside tasks. Break a task into sub-steps using the built-in checklist. Add items one at a time, check them off as you go, and delete individual items when they're no longer relevant. The task card shows a progress badge — "2/5 ✓" — so you can see completion at a glance without opening the panel. When all items are checked, the badge turns green. Checklists are searchable: the search bar matches checklist item text as well as the task name and description.
Full edit history on every task. Every time content changes and is committed, the previous version is pushed to a timestamped history log in the task panel — newest first. Click Restore to roll back to any point. You can also delete individual restore points to keep the history clean. The current state is always saved before a restore so nothing is lost.
Archive instead of delete. Hovering a task card reveals an archive button. Archiving moves the task to the hidden Archived column instead of permanently deleting it. Deleted columns send all their tasks to Archived automatically. The Archived section appears at the end of the board — click the "Archived" toggle to show or hide it. From there, tasks can be restored to the first column or permanently deleted with a confirmation modal.
Search across all tasks. A search bar in the header filters tasks by name or description across all columns — including archived ones. Non-matching tasks are hidden; matching ones remain visible. Clearing the search or switching projects resets the filter.
Drag tasks between columns. Every task card has a grip handle on the left side. Drag it to a different column or reorder within the same column. An amber drop line shows exactly where the task will land. Each column shows up to 15 tasks by default with a "Load more" button to reveal additional tasks in batches.
Export and import for backup. Click Export to download a complete JSON snapshot of all projects, columns, and tasks including history. Import restores everything on any device. The Delete button offers two options: delete the current project only (with an automatic backup export first) or wipe all data (also exports first). All destructive actions include a safety export.
Keyboard shortcuts for faster navigation. Press / to jump to the search bar instantly without reaching for the mouse. Press Esc to close the task panel and return to the board. Press ? to open the shortcuts reference at any time. Shortcuts are smart — they stay inactive while an input field is focused so they never interrupt typing.
A lightweight Asana alternative for solo work. Asana, Trello, and Monday.com are powerful — but they are built for teams. They require accounts, workspaces, and often a paid plan before you can access the features you actually need. Mini Kanban is the opposite: no account, no workspace, no subscription. Open it, create a project, and you have a fully functional task board in under ten seconds. If you are a solo developer, indie hacker, or freelancer who finds full project management suites too heavy for personal work, Mini Kanban gives you 90% of the kanban board experience at zero cost and zero friction.
A better todo list for structured work. Simple todo apps — even great ones — lack the structure that multi-step work needs. Tasks pile up in a single flat list with no indication of what stage each item is in. Mini Kanban replaces the flat todo list with a column-based board: work moves from To Do into In Progress, then Done. You see at a glance what is active, what is blocked, and what is finished. Each task can hold detailed notes in its description panel, capturing the context that a simple checkbox can never hold. For developers, freelancers, and students who have outgrown todo lists but don't need a full project management platform, Mini Kanban is the right-sized tool.
⚠️ Like all browser-storage tools, clearing your browser's site data for this domain will delete all Mini Kanban data. Use Export regularly — the JSON files are small and portable. Use JSON Formatter to inspect the backup file if needed.
Features
- Multiple projects — unlimited projects each with their own columns and tasks; switch via dropdown; rename with the pencil icon; project names are unique; use alongside Daily Focus Log for full daily workflow coverage
- Custom columns — four default columns (To Do, In Progress, Done, Saved); add unlimited custom columns; rename or delete via the ⌄ caret dropdown; "Archived" is reserved for the built-in archive system
- Auto-save with visual feedback — edits auto-save 5 seconds after you stop typing or immediately on blur; Ctrl+Enter triggers an instant save; green "Saved" indicator confirms each commit; no manual save button needed
- Task panel with dates — slide-in panel shows editable task name, multi-line description, created date, and last modified date; the active task card is highlighted on the board behind the panel
- Full edit history per task — every committed change creates a timestamped restore point; newest entry marked "Latest"; click Restore to roll back (current state saved first); delete individual restore points to keep history clean
- Archive system — archive any task with the box icon instead of deleting it; deleted columns send all tasks to Archived; toggle the Archived section at the end of the board to show or hide archived tasks; restore or permanently delete from there
- Due dates — set a due date on any task via the date picker in the task panel; card badge shows Overdue (red), Today (amber), Tomorrow/Soon (orange), or the plain date; clears with one click; no due date shown when unset
- Checklists — add sub-steps to any task; check off, reorder, or delete individual items; card shows a live "X/Y ✓" progress badge that turns green when complete; checklist text is included in search
- Keyboard shortcuts — press / to focus the search bar, Esc to close the open panel, ? to open the shortcuts reference; shortcuts are inactive when an input field has focus
- Search across all tasks — search bar filters by task name, description, and checklist item text across all columns including Archived; non-matching tasks hidden; resets on project switch; use with JSON Formatter for bulk data review
- Drag-and-drop — drag tasks between columns or reorder within a column; amber drop indicator shows the exact landing position; "Load more" button shows 15 tasks per column with incremental loading
- Safe deletion with export — deleting a project or all data triggers an automatic backup export first; column deletion moves tasks to Archived rather than permanently removing them; permanent task delete requires confirmation
- JSON export & import — full snapshot of all projects, columns, tasks, and history; import restores on any device or browser; success flash confirms import; works with JSON Formatter
- 100% private — IndexedDB browser storage; no login, no server, no analytics; data never leaves your device
How to Use
Step 1 — Create or select a project. When you first open Mini Kanban, a default "My Project" is ready with four columns. Use the project dropdown to switch between projects, or click "+ New Project" to create one. Project names must be unique.
Step 2 — Manage columns. Your project starts with To Do, In Progress, Done, and Saved columns. Click the ⌄ caret on any column header to rename or delete it. Deleting a column moves all its tasks to Archived automatically. Click "+ Add Column" at the right end of the board to add new columns. The name "Archived" is reserved.
Step 3 — Add tasks. Click + in any column header to open the inline task form. Type a task name and press Enter or click Add. The task appears at the top of the column. Columns show 15 tasks at a time — click "Load more" to show additional tasks.
Step 4 — Open a task panel. Click any task card to open the slide-in panel. The active card is highlighted on the board. Edit the task name and write a multi-line description. The panel shows the created date and last modified date. Edits auto-save after 5 seconds or immediately on blur. Press Ctrl+Enter for an instant save. A green "Saved" flash confirms each commit.
Step 5 — Use edit history. Every save that changes content creates a history entry. Entries appear newest first with a "Latest" badge. Click Restore on any entry to roll back — the current state is saved first. Delete individual history entries you no longer need with the × button (requires confirmation).
Step 6 — Archive tasks. Hover a task card and click the archive (box) icon to move it to Archived. This is reversible — archived tasks can be unarchived back to the first column. To permanently delete a task, archive it first, then delete it from the Archived section. The Archived toggle at the end of the board shows the count and expands on click.
Step 7 — Set a due date. Open a task panel and use the date picker in the Due Date section. The card on the board immediately shows a badge: Overdue (red), Today (amber), Tomorrow or soon (orange), or the date for anything further out. Click "✕ Clear" in the panel to remove the due date.
Step 8 — Add a checklist. In the task panel, scroll to the Checklist section. Type an item in the input and press Enter or click Add. Check items off as you complete them. Delete individual items with the × button. The card on the board shows a live progress count — "2/5 ✓" — that turns green when all items are done.
Step 9 — Use keyboard shortcuts. Press / to jump to the search bar from anywhere on the board. Press Esc to close the open task panel. Press ? to open the shortcuts reference modal. These shortcuts only fire when no input field is focused.
Step 10 — Search tasks. Type in the search bar (header, after + New Project) to filter tasks by name, description, or checklist item text across all columns and Archived. Clear the search or switch projects to reset.
Step 11 — Export a backup. Click Export to download a full JSON snapshot. Use Import to restore it on any device. The Delete button lets you delete the current project or all data — both options export a backup first.
Common Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — Mini Kanban stores everything in your browser's IndexedDB. Clearing site data for the domain permanently deletes all projects and tasks. Click Export before clearing to download a JSON backup. Import it back at any time on any device.
Edits to a task's name or description are automatically saved five seconds after you stop typing. Clicking out of the input field also triggers an immediate save. Ctrl+Enter forces an instant save at any time. A green "Saved" indicator flashes after each successful commit.
Every project has a hidden Archived column that cannot be deleted or renamed. Instead of permanently deleting tasks, you can archive them — they move to the Archived section at the end of the board. Click the "Archived" toggle to show or hide archived tasks. From there you can restore a task to the first active column or permanently delete it.
Deleting a column moves all its tasks to the Archived section rather than permanently removing them. This lets you recover tasks if you change your mind. You can then permanently delete individual tasks from the Archived section.
Every time a task's name or description changes and is committed (auto-save, blur, or Ctrl+Enter), the previous version is pushed to a history log in the task panel. Entries are shown newest first with a "Latest" badge on the most recent. Click Restore to roll back — your current state is saved before the restore so nothing is lost. You can also delete individual history entries you no longer need.
The search bar in the header (next to + New Project) filters tasks by name or description in real time. It searches all columns including the Archived section. Non-matching tasks are hidden while the column structure remains visible. Clear the search or switch projects to reset.
Yes — click "+ Add Column" at the right end of the board. Add as many columns as you need: Blocked, In Review, Testing, Deployed, and others. The name "Archived" is reserved for the built-in archive system and cannot be used.
Click the ⌄ caret on the column header and select Rename from the dropdown. The column name becomes an editable input with focus. Type the new name and press Enter or click away to save. Escape cancels the rename. Duplicate names within the same project are rejected.
Yes — drag any task card by the grip handle on its left side. An amber drop indicator line shows where the task will land. You can reorder tasks within the same column by dragging up or down. Each column shows 15 tasks by default with a "Load more" button for additional tasks.
Click the Delete button in the header. A modal gives you two options: delete the current project only, or delete all data. Both options automatically export a JSON backup before deleting. This ensures you always have a copy before any destructive action.
Yes — click "+ New Project", enter a unique name, and the project opens with the default four columns plus the hidden Archived column. Switch between projects with the dropdown. Each project's data is completely isolated.
Open any task panel and pick a date using the Due Date input. The task card on the board immediately shows a badge: red "Overdue" if the date has passed, amber "Today" if it is due today, orange for "Tomorrow" or within three days, and a plain date string for anything further out. Click "✕ Clear" in the panel to remove the due date. Due dates are stored in the task and survive export and import.
Open a task panel and scroll to the Checklist section. Type a sub-step and press Enter or click Add. Check items off as you finish them — the task card shows a live "X/Y ✓" badge that turns green when everything is done. Delete individual items with the × button. Checklist item text is included in search, so you can find tasks by their sub-steps.
Press / to focus the search bar from anywhere on the board. Press Esc to close the open task panel or any modal. Press ? to open the keyboard shortcuts reference. These shortcuts only fire when no input or textarea field is focused, so they never interfere with typing.
The tool runs in any modern mobile browser. Adding tasks, editing descriptions, archiving, searching, and managing projects all work on mobile. Drag-and-drop may be limited on touch devices — use the archive-and-restore flow to move tasks between columns on touch screens.