MonoTask

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  MonoTask

Inspiration

Inspired by the overwhelming digital distractions and multitasking culture, we aimed to create a task manager that actively enforces single-task focus. Our goal was to leverage behavioral principles and gamification to help users achieve deep work and reclaim their attention.

What it does

MonoTask is a minimalist task manager enforcing a strict 3-status workflow: "Todo," "In Progress," and "Done." It uniquely allows only one task in "In Progress" per project, preventing multitasking. Users earn 3 points for each completed task, while moving a task back from "In Progress" to "Todo" incurs a 10-point penalty, encouraging commitment. Tasks must follow a linear path, and "Done" tasks are final. It also supports subtasks and comments within projects.

How we built it

We built MonoTask as a modern web application using:

• Frontend: React, Vite, TanStack Query (for data management), TanStack Router (for routing).
• UI: Shadcn/ui components, Tailwind CSS for styling, Lucide React for icons.
• Backend & Database: Supabase, providing a PostgreSQL database, user authentication, and Row Level - - Security (RLS) for data isolation.
• Drag and Drop: React DnD for intuitive task movement.

Challenges we ran into

• Enforcing Workflow Constraints: Programmatically ensuring only one "In Progress" task per project and managing the point system.
• Optimistic UI with Complex Rules: Implementing optimistic updates with proper rollback for workflow rule violations.
• Drag-and-Drop Logic: Integrating React DnD with our specific, strict workflow rules.
• Supabase RLS Policies: Crafting robust RLS policies for secure data access and rule enforcement.

Accomplishments that we're proud of I am proud of:

• Unique Core Concept: Successfully enforcing single-task focus.
• Seamless Supabase Integration: Rapidly building a secure and scalable backend.
• Fluid User Experience: Responsive UI with optimistic updates.
• Effective Gamification: Guiding user behavior towards focus.
• Clean Design: Modern and intuitive interface.

What we learned

We learned the power of well-designed constraints in driving productivity, gained deeper insights into TanStack Query patterns, solidified Supabase best practices, and reinforced the importance of behavioral design in applications.

What's next for MonoTask - Bring back focus

Enhanced gamification (leaderboards, streaks). Collaboration features (project sharing, task assignment). Advanced analytics for user productivity.

Built With

• shadcn
• supabase
• tanstack/react-query
• tanstack/react-router
• vite