New Mac App Offers Stripped-Down To-Do List as an Alternative to Bloated Productivity Tools
A free Mac app called Tasks.txt, built by Ukrainian developer Yevhen Kharkivskyi, manages tasks through a simple text file instead of a complex app with cloud syncing and subscriptions. A Wired review praises it as a strong example of simplicity and privacy in software design.
Wired has published a review of Tasks.txt, a free Mac application created by Ukrainian programmer Yevhen Kharkivskyi. The app is built on the todo.txt system originally developed by Gina Trapani and offers an alternative to conventional to-do list software by basing everything around a single, simple text file.
How it works
Opening the app reveals three categories: Done, Next, and Backlog. "Next" is meant for tasks to complete today, while "Backlog" holds items planned for later; the "Done" section clears out at the start of each day. The app can be operated entirely from the keyboard — the text input is active by default, and shortcuts let users add tasks, mark them complete, or reorder them within the list. Mouse control is available too, for those who prefer it.
Beyond the main list, the app includes an Archive tab holding every previously completed task, and a Scratchpad for free-form notes.
Privacy without the cloud
All of the app's data is stored in local text documents that users can open with any text editor and repurpose elsewhere if they choose. The developers emphasize that there is no account, no cloud sync, no telemetry, no analytics, and no crash reporting — nothing leaves the user's machine, and there are no servers involved at all.
The reviewer, who has spent decades testing to-do list applications, says Tasks.txt handles the basics exceptionally well, though acknowledges it won't suit everyone — particularly users who need more advanced features such as due dates or sharing.
