Mindwtr: Open Source Project & Work Management

What is Mindwtr?

What it is

Mindwtr is a free, open-source to-do application built around the Getting Things Done method. It lives in the open-source personal productivity and task-management ecosystem, and it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android.

The concrete problem it addresses is mental clutter: tasks and ideas that are remembered but not captured, organized, or reviewed. Mindwtr guides users from capture to weekly review without requiring them to learn the full GTD method first, so personal plans can move from an Inbox into next actions, waiting items, someday ideas, and focused work.

Key capabilities

Capture tasks and ideas through a desktop shortcut, a phone widget, or a share sheet into the Inbox.
Organize work using projects, next actions, Waiting For, and Someday/Maybe lists.
Filter tasks in Focus by location or available tools while viewing today's schedule and next actions.
Run a guided weekly review to check projects, follow up on waiting items, and catch loose ends.
Keep tasks on the device, work offline, export a backup, and optionally sync through iCloud, Dropbox, a shared folder, WebDAV, or a personal server.
Import existing tasks from Todoist, TickTick, OmniFocus, and other supported sources.
Add calendar planning, recurring tasks, notes, and attachments, with AI assistance disabled by default until the user enables it.

Who uses it and how

Individuals capture personal tasks and ideas on desktop or mobile, then choose a next step instead of leaving them in memory.
Offline users keep data locally, avoid creating an account, and export backups when they need portability.
Users migrating from other to-do apps import existing lists from Todoist, TickTick, OmniFocus, or similar sources.
GTD users work through the Inbox, Waiting For, Someday/Maybe, Focus, and guided weekly review in one app.
People managing long-term ideas use Someday/Maybe and the weekly review to keep future plans and loose ends visible.

Getting started

Users install Mindwtr from the project website for Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android. The README says no account is needed for offline use.

When to use it — and when not to

Mindwtr suits individuals who want a full GTD workflow across desktop and mobile without an account, especially when compared with Todoist, TickTick, Everdo, and NirvanaHQ in the README comparison. It is less suitable for team project management or users who need a hosted collaboration service, because the README presents it as a personal task app and offers self-managed sync options such as a personal server. The repository is only one year old and lists no contributor count, so users who require mature maintenance evidence should evaluate it carefully.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Mindwtr

Get everything out of your head.

A free to-do app built on Getting Things Done (GTD). Works offline, no account needed.

20,000+ users · Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS · Android

Download · Features · Docs · 中文

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Capture, organize, and focus on desktop & mobile

How it works

Start with whatever is on your mind, from "plan Mom's birthday" to "learn guitar someday." Mindwtr guides you through what to do with it. You don't need to learn GTD first.

Capture it. Send tasks and ideas to your Inbox with a desktop shortcut, phone widget, or share sheet.
Choose a next step. Break a bigger plan into actions, track promises in Waiting For, and keep future ideas in Someday/Maybe.
Pick something to do. Open Focus for today's schedule and your next actions. Filter by where you are or the tools you have with you.
Review each week. Follow the guided review to check your projects, follow up on waiting items, and catch loose ends.

All videos on the website · YouTube channel

For more about the method, read GTD in 15 minutes or explore the interactive GTD flowchart.

Highlights

GTD from capture to review. Work through your Inbox, plan projects, and follow a guided weekly review to keep both your next steps and longer-term plans in view.
Your data stays yours. Keep tasks on your device, work offline, and export a backup. Sync is optional: choose iCloud, Dropbox, a shared folder, WebDAV, or your own server.
The same workflow on your phone and computer. Use the full GTD workflow on Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android, with 21 language options.
Bring your existing tasks. Import from Todoist, TickTick, OmniFocus, and more so you can start with the plans you've already made.
Add the tools you need. Plan with a calendar, set up recurring tasks, and keep notes and attachments with your work. AI assistance is off by default and yours to enable.

The name Mindwtr comes from mind like water: write down what’s on your mind so you can give your attention to the task at hand.

Mindwtr is built for your personal tasks. Start with a simple list and use more options as you need them. There are no streaks or productivity scores to keep up with.

Explore all features →

Why Mindwtr (Quick Comparison)

Mindwtr is for people who want the full GTD method in one app, with data they own and no lock-in. Here is how it compares with a few other to-do apps.

Capability	Mindwtr	Todoist	TickTick	Everdo	NirvanaHQ
Open source	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Follows the full GTD method out of the box	✅	⚠️	⚠️	✅	✅
Works everywhere: Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, web	✅	✅	✅	⚠️	⚠️
Wearable support (smartwatches or smart rings)	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Works offline, no account needed	✅	❌	❌	✅	❌
Optional AI helper (your own AI account, or one on your computer)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
You pick where your data syncs (Dropbox, your server, a folder, WebDAV)	✅	❌	❌	⚠️	❌
Completely free	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌

Legend: ✅ = yes, ❌ = no, ⚠️ = partial/limited support.

This comparison is based on the current public capabilities of each product. If any entry is outdated, feel free to open an issue or PR with sources.

Full comparison and sources →

Installation

For the complete and current install guides, see Desktop Installation and Mobile Installation.

Quick options:

Windows: Microsoft Store, Winget, Chocolatey, Scoop, or GitHub Releases.
macOS: Mac App Store, Homebrew, TestFlight beta, or GitHub Releases.
Linux: Flathub, Snap, AUR, APT/RPM repos, or GitHub Releases.
Android: Google Play, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, or GitHub Releases APK.
iOS: App Store or TestFlight beta.
Web / self-hosted: Cloud Deployment or the Docker guide.

Windows builds: free code signing provided by SignPath.io, certificate by SignPath Foundation — application approved, certificate pending issuance. See the code signing policy.

Package manager quick commands

flatpak install flathub tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr
yay -S mindwtr-bin
brew install --cask mindwtr

winget install dongdongbh.Mindwtr

For APT/RPM repo setup, source builds, portable ZIPs, mobile store variants, and Docker setup, use the full install guides above.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mindwtr free to use?

Mindwtr is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does Mindwtr do?

Get tasks and ideas out of your head. A free GTD to-do app for desktop and mobile. Works offline, no account needed

What is Mindwtr written in?

Mindwtr is primarily written in TypeScript. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/dongdongbh/Mindwtr, and it has 2,062 GitHub stars.