rafta

Rafta

Really, Another F*cking Todo App?!

Why?

Most TODO tools suck for power users:

• In your way: You have to go to them. They don't notify you, or embed into your workflow.
• Overkill: Many try to be wikis, calendars, or even programming platforms.
• Walled gardens: APIs locked behind subscriptions or bad docs.
• Hard to extend: Monolithic or closed-source.
• Stuck in files: Forcing you to setup/use cloud storage like Dropbox, iCloud, SyncThing just to keep your tasks in sync accross devices.

Rafta flips that:

• A simple gRPC server to store and sync tasks.
• A clean schema designed for anyone to build clients.
• No scope creep — task management, nothing more.
• Built for hackers — SQLite backend, no lock-in.
• Self-hosted Server Approach - Ensuring a common source of truth for all your devices

If you want a TODO system that stays out of your way and works wherever you work (Neovim, shell, mobile, etc.), take part in the development of rafta. I promise, I put a lot of thought into it before risking creating a new standard.

Dev Setup

• API: gRPC, documented in resources/schema.proto
• Auth: JWT (via Auth endpoint)
• Quickstart: docker-compose up
• Client responsibility: All UI, notifications, etc.

flowchart LR
    client(Rafta Client)
    srv[Rafta Server]
    db([SQLite DB])

    client--gRPC-->srv
    srv--query/update-->db
    db--result-->srv
    srv--response-->client

Client ideas

• Neovim Plugin: Like oil.nvim, but for tasks.
• Mobile App: Clean UI, simple UX, timely push notifications.
• iCal Client: Generate public/private calendar feeds from task filters.

Why not existing tools?

• Orgmode / TodoTxt / Vimwiki: Fragile text parsing, sync requires all clients to support the specific cloud hosting you chose.
• Obsidian: Closed source, poor plugin interop.
• Todoist: Great UX, but API is paywalled.
• Apple Reminders: Locked to macOS/iOS.

Rafta is a thin server spec with an open schema. You bring the clients.