Nullboard: Kanban board in a single HTML file

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Project status and development pace

  • Readme still calls it “beta”; last commit was Nov 2023.
  • Author states there’s been no need for changes recently and points to a change log showing steady but not rapid development.
  • Some feel it’s stable enough for a full release; others worry the inactivity suggests it’s “unsupported.”

Single-file HTML & local‑first appeal

  • Strong appreciation for the “single HTML file” model: portable, offline, easy to back up, easy to share, minimal setup.
  • Compared to 90s single‑EXE utilities and to tools like TiddlyWiki and FeatherWiki.
  • Multiple commenters say they actively seek out Single File Apps (SFAs) and even maintain their own.

Data storage, persistence, and backups

  • Current use of localStorage is criticized as fragile (cleared with cookies, optimization tools).
  • Ideas discussed:
    • Treat the HTML itself as the data source, saving via “Save As…” or JS that downloads a modified copy.
    • Hybrid localStorage + manual save.
    • Browser File System Access API for more transparent saving.
  • Several remote backup agents already exist (Go/Node/etc.), with a simple HTTP interface.
  • Desire for prettier JSON exports to make git diffs usable.

Syncing across devices and collaboration

  • Many see the missing piece as syncing between devices and/or multiuser collaboration.
  • Suggestions: WebDAV, PouchDB/CouchDB, Syncthing, gists (with auth caveats), Chrome storage, “roamingStorage”-style web standard, CRDT/OT approaches.
  • Others argue manual import/export is fine for a simple personal tool; critics call that too error‑prone.

Use cases and UX feedback

  • Praised as a lightweight, no‑frills personal kanban / todo tool compared to heavier systems (Planka, Kanboard, Plane, Jira‑like stacks).
  • Reported real‑world use: race tracking for an ultramarathon, daily personal task management, club coordination.
  • Liked for minimal UI, inline note editing without modals, visually clean change log.
  • Complaints: drag‑and‑drop doesn’t work well on iPhone Safari; needs better responsive CSS and possibly colors.

Kanban philosophy and scope

  • Debate over whether lack of WIP limits means it’s “not really Kanban”; some say they only need a simple board for personal mental hygiene.

Implementation & licensing

  • Code is seen as large but well‑organized; “single file” is valued for deployment, not tiny LOC.
  • Uses jQuery; some note it’s dated but acceptable.
  • One commenter flags that combining a BSD license with a “Common Clause” means it’s not truly BSD.