Ask HN: What do you use to manage your coding projects?
11 comments
The latest "tool" for me is just Apple Notes for me with a todo list of tasks on a page.
Its a struggle for me to get any momentum going on personal projects. I think its because I'm a person that is externally motivated - like I know I get paid, promotions potentially, etc. via my employment. When it comes to personal projects I can't get going. I only mention this because I would also change out what/how I use to manage the work thinking that would change and I'd get more done, its never worked. Things I've used along the way: trello, wiki, pen and paper, various apps like todoist, etc.
Its a struggle for me to get any momentum going on personal projects. I think its because I'm a person that is externally motivated - like I know I get paid, promotions potentially, etc. via my employment. When it comes to personal projects I can't get going. I only mention this because I would also change out what/how I use to manage the work thinking that would change and I'd get more done, its never worked. Things I've used along the way: trello, wiki, pen and paper, various apps like todoist, etc.
I write notes/tasks in a notes.md file and in the source files, both of which I track with git. It's simple, fast and I don't need to sync data for some other tool.
I think this is a universal problem: after a break, you reopen a project and spend more time rebuilding context than actually coding. I’m thinking of a Cursor-style chat that acts as project memory, it can answer “what did I do last?” and “what changed since then?” using git/PR history, and also lets me drop quick ideas for Project A while I’m working on Project B, so it reminds me when I come back. Would you use something like this, or is there a simpler workflow that already solves it?
I maintain a notion page for every single project. Each page has notes about the last thing I worked on or a todo list for the future.
This is simple, I add just the most basic information needed to keep me going. You could replicate the same system with just a txt file on your machine, apple notes, etc.
I’ve gotten into the habit of just pasting my notion todo lists into Claude code and telling it to fix things. Works great.
This is simple, I add just the most basic information needed to keep me going. You could replicate the same system with just a txt file on your machine, apple notes, etc.
I’ve gotten into the habit of just pasting my notion todo lists into Claude code and telling it to fix things. Works great.
For side projects, a TODO.md with Now, Next, Later, Maybe headings is usually perfect.
I find that insufficient when there are non-technical tasks involved in a project, tho, and have yet to find a satisfactory solution.
For tiny teams, Github Projects. For teams >4, Jira with streamlined kanban workflows and minimal bureaucracy.
I find that insufficient when there are non-technical tasks involved in a project, tho, and have yet to find a satisfactory solution.
For tiny teams, Github Projects. For teams >4, Jira with streamlined kanban workflows and minimal bureaucracy.
Love using GitHub for managing everything. I can create issues of features and bugs and work through completing them in each pull request. I have also recently created my own tool called tmpo, which I use to log my time when working on projects that require billing. Trying to create my own custom tools to speed up my workflow as much as I can.
bitbucket for git hosting
trello for ideas and tasks
jetbrains ide(i hate the company and their pricing model but I like the tool)
filezilla for sftp
1remote for multi-window ssh
keepass for secrets
Go for programming
Quasar for web front-end
git bash for windows shell
heidisql for db ui
notepad++/vs codium/zed for simple editing
trello for ideas and tasks
jetbrains ide(i hate the company and their pricing model but I like the tool)
filezilla for sftp
1remote for multi-window ssh
keepass for secrets
Go for programming
Quasar for web front-end
git bash for windows shell
heidisql for db ui
notepad++/vs codium/zed for simple editing
P=project-name-0.0.0; mkdir $P; cd $P; b installWhat is a file system?
Github
blood
That's likely a me problem; getting bored with the tool itself, but I often find myself reverting back to a pen and notepad, paper, notecard, etc.
This usually happens after using an app/software that is needlessly complex and ends up requiring me to manage it rather than it providing any organizational or "productivity" value. (A lot easier to write a task at the top of a notecard rather than assigning 27 "priority" tags, deadlines, location, categories, etc. to the thing)
I know everyone is different in this realm, but very interested in what's been working for you.