Solo Kanban — Personal Task Board
Free personal kanban board for solo task management. Drag & drop cards, WIP limits, priority, due dates, and multi-board support. 100% local, no signup required.
Who Uses Solo Kanban?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is a WIP limit?
WIP (Work In Progress) limit caps how many cards can be in a column simultaneously. Research shows limiting WIP reduces context-switching and increases throughput. When you exceed the limit, the column turns red — finish a card before adding more.
Q. Does my data get saved automatically?
Yes — every change is instantly saved to your browser's localStorage. It persists across page refreshes and browser restarts. Use Export JSON to back up important boards.
Q. Can I have multiple projects?
Yes — click "+ New Board" to create a separate board per project, client, or life area. Switch between boards with the tabs at the top.
Q. What does the amber glow on a card mean?
Cards that have been in the same column for 3+ days show an amber border and a "Xd stale" badge. This aging indicator helps you spot blockers and stale work before it becomes a problem.
Q. Can I sync boards across devices?
Boards are stored locally by design for privacy. To transfer a board, use Export JSON on one device and Import JSON on another.
🔢 WIP Limits — Why They Work
WIP limits are the most powerful feature of Kanban. Here's the science-backed rationale for each column.
| Column | WIP Limit | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
📦 Backlog | Unlimited | A collection point — no limit needed, but review weekly. |
📋 To Do | 7 | Your sprint queue. More than 7 means poor prioritization. |
⚡ In Progress | 3 | The critical limiter. More than 3 tasks = context-switch overload. |
👁️ Review | 5 | Reviews should be fast. Stack here means review debt. |
✅ Done | Unlimited | Archive freely. Consider archiving after each week. |
⚖️ Kanban vs Other Methodologies
Comparing task management approaches for solo workers.
| Method | Work Unit | Time Box | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟣Kanban (this tool)★ | Card/Task | Flow (no box) | Ongoing work, varied tasks |
| 🍅Pomodoro | Session | 25 min | Single-focus deep work |
| 🔁Scrum (sprint) | Story point | 2 weeks | Team planning, fixed scope |
| 📝GTD (to-do list) | Next action | None | Capture & clarity, not flow |
| ⏱️Time blocking | Calendar slot | Custom | Calendar-driven execution |
✨ Why Kanban works best for solo
- ✓No sprint planning overhead — just move cards as work flows.
- ✓Visual bottleneck detection at a glance.
- ✓WIP limits replace willpower — the system enforces focus.
- ✓Flexible to combine with Pomodoro for time-boxing individual cards.
Key Features
- Five-column workflow: Backlog → To Do → In Progress → Review → Done
- WIP limits with live counter — visual red alert when exceeded
- Drag & drop + arrow buttons for card movement
- Priority levels (Low / Medium / High) with color-coded badges
- Due date picker with overdue warnings
- Card aging indicator: 3+ days stale shows amber glow
- Custom card colors — 7 color options for visual grouping
- Tag system for filtering and categorizing
- Multiple boards — separate boards for separate projects
- Export / Import JSON for backup and device migration
- 100% offline — no server, no account, no subscription
Solo Kanban is a lightweight personal task board built for individuals who want the clarity of Kanban without team overhead. Organize work across five stages — Backlog, To Do, In Progress, Review, and Done — with WIP limits that prevent overload, color-coded priorities, and due-date alerts. Drag cards between columns or use the arrow buttons on each card. All boards are saved to your browser — no server, no account, no subscription needed.