Kanbito is a simple, free, cross-platform desktop to-do app built around a visual Kanban board. It’s designed for people who want to organize tasks and notes without accounts, subscriptions, or cloud lock-in. Everything is stored locally as plain JSON and Markdown files in your Documents folder.
You can manage tasks in customizable columns like To Do, Doing, and Done, break them down into subtasks, add comments, tag them with colors, and write rich descriptions using Markdown. Kanbito also includes a dedicated Notes section with a tree structure, making it easy to keep longer documentation, project notes, or personal knowledge alongside your tasks.
Tasks and notes can reference each other using simple links, and you can paste images directly into descriptions. The interface is fast and lightweight, with drag and drop, a system tray mode on Windows and Linux, and a distraction-free workflow focused on clarity and speed.
For syncing and backups, Kanbito offers optional Git sync. With one click, it can commit, pull, and push your data to any Git repository, such as GitHub, GitLab, or a self-hosted server. This makes it easy to keep your board in sync across multiple computers while keeping full control of your data and without relying on a proprietary cloud.
Kanbito works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, supports 20 languages, and requires no account to use. It is open source, free, and suitable for developers, students, and anyone who wants a straightforward, offline-first task and notes manager with simple files and optional version control.
Comments and Reviews
Without having used it, it looks like a slightly better version of Kanri. Wish it had an AppImage or Flatpak for Linux.