Kanban Board
Plan work visually: add cards to To do, drag them to In progress and Done, and keep each column under control with work-in-progress limits. Everything saves in your browser.
Edit card
Drag cards to move them (on touch screens use the ⋮⋮ grip) · Enter opens a card · Alt + arrows move the focused card · saved in this browser.
How to use the Kanban Board
- Create a card: type a title, choose a column and press Create card, or use + Add a card at the bottom of any column.
- Drag cards between columns. On a phone, drag with the ⋮⋮ grip on the card.
- Open a card to add notes, a colour label or a due date, or to move it to another column.
- Customise the columns with the ⋯ menu: rename, set a WIP limit, move or delete them, and add new ones.
- Export the board as JSON to back it up or move it to another device, and import it again any time.
The kanban method in four rules
- Visualize the work. Every task gets a card, and every stage of your process gets a column.
- Limit work in progress. Set a WIP limit on In progress so you finish tasks before starting new ones. Multitasking feels productive but slows everything down.
- Manage the flow. Look for columns where cards pile up; that is your bottleneck.
- Improve continuously. Add, split or rename columns as you learn how your work really flows.
Column ideas for different boards
| Board | Columns | Suggested WIP limit |
|---|---|---|
| Personal tasks | To do · Doing · Done | Doing: 2–3 |
| Software team | Backlog · Ready · In progress · Review · Done | In progress: team size; Review: 2–3 |
| Content calendar | Ideas · Writing · Editing · Scheduled · Published | Writing: 2 |
| Job search | To apply · Applied · Interview · Offer · Closed | To apply: 10 per week |
| Home projects | Someday · This month · This week · Done | This week: 3 |
Choosing a WIP limit
A simple starting point is WIP limit = people working in the column + 1. For a solo board, 2 or 3 cards in progress is usually right. If a column keeps hitting its limit, either the next stage is too slow or the limit is too strict; if it never fills up, lower it. Little's Law explains why it works: average lead time = work in progress ÷ throughput, so with the same throughput, fewer cards in progress means each card finishes sooner.
Export formats
- JSON: the complete board with columns, WIP limits, cards, notes, labels and due dates. Import it to restore the board exactly.
- CSV: one row per card with its column and position, for spreadsheets and reports.
- Markdown: headings for columns and bullet points for cards, ready to paste into notes, wikis or chat.
Frequently asked questions
What is a kanban board?
Kanban is a visual way to manage work. Each task is a card, and cards move through columns that represent stages, most simply To do, In progress and Done. Seeing everything at a glance makes bottlenecks and forgotten tasks obvious.
What is a WIP limit?
A work-in-progress limit caps how many cards a column may hold. When In progress has a limit of 3, you finish something before starting something new. The column header turns red when it goes over the limit.
Where is my board saved?
In your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is uploaded and no account is needed. Use Export JSON to keep a backup or to open the board on another device.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. Columns scroll sideways, and you can drag cards with the ⋮⋮ grip on each card. Tapping a card opens it for editing.
Can several people share a board?
Not live, because nothing is stored on a server. You can export the board as JSON and send the file to a colleague, who can import it into their browser.
Can I use the keyboard?
Yes. Tab to a card and press Enter to open it. Alt + Left and Alt + Right move it to the neighboring column, and Alt + Up and Alt + Down move it within the column.