Task Manager App

Overview

The Task Manager App is a full-featured task management solution that helps users organize their work efficiently. Built with modern web technologies, it provides an intuitive interface for creating, organizing, and tracking tasks across different projects.

The application features a kanban-style board with drag-and-drop functionality, allowing users to easily move tasks between different stages of completion. All data is persisted locally using the browser’s localStorage API, making it a perfect offline-first application.

What I Learned

Building this project taught me several valuable lessons:

• State Management Complexity: Managing the state of draggable items across multiple columns required careful planning. I learned to use React’s Context API effectively to share state across components without prop drilling.

• TypeScript Benefits: Using TypeScript from the start helped catch many bugs during development. The type system made refactoring much safer and the code more maintainable.

• Performance Optimization: I discovered the importance of memoization when dealing with frequently re-rendering components. Using React.memo() and useMemo() improved performance significantly.

• Accessibility in Drag-and-Drop: Implementing keyboard navigation for drag-and-drop was challenging but crucial for accessibility. I learned about ARIA attributes and how to make interactive components usable for everyone.

Challenges and Misses

The development process wasn’t without its hurdles:

• Initial Architecture: I started with a simple component structure but had to refactor when the app grew more complex. In hindsight, I should have planned the component hierarchy more carefully from the beginning.

• LocalStorage Limitations: I initially didn’t account for localStorage quota limits. I had to implement data compression and add error handling for when storage is full.

• Browser Compatibility: The drag-and-drop library I chose had issues on mobile browsers. I spent significant time debugging touch events and eventually added a mobile-specific fallback UI.

• Over-Engineering: I initially tried to implement a custom drag-and-drop solution but realized I was reinventing the wheel. Switching to React DnD saved me weeks of work.

Journey and Development Process

The project started as a simple to-do list but evolved into something much more comprehensive:

Week 1-2: Planning and Setup

• Researched existing task management solutions
• Created wireframes and mockups
• Set up the development environment with Vite
• Configured TypeScript and ESLint

Week 3-4: Core Features

• Implemented basic CRUD operations for tasks
• Added the kanban board layout
• Integrated React DnD for drag-and-drop
• Built the task creation and editing forms

Week 5-6: Polish and Enhancement

• Added filtering and sorting capabilities
• Implemented search functionality
• Created a color-coding system for task priorities
• Added animations and transitions for better UX

Week 7-8: Testing and Deployment

• Wrote unit tests for critical components
• Performed cross-browser testing
• Optimized bundle size and performance
• Deployed to production

The most rewarding part was seeing users actually enjoy using the app. Their feedback helped shape several features I hadn’t originally planned, like the ability to add tags and set due dates.

Future Enhancements

While the current version is functional, there are several features I’d like to add:

• Cloud synchronization for multi-device access
• Collaboration features for team projects
• Integration with calendar applications
• Dark mode support
• Mobile native app using React Native

This project reinforced my belief that the best way to learn is by building. Each challenge I faced made me a better developer, and I’m excited to apply these lessons to future projects.