Build a kanban board from a task list

About this tool

Kanban boards are useful because they make workflow state visible: what is waiting, what is in progress, what is blocked, what is being reviewed, and what is already done. This tool turns a plain task dump into that structure without requiring a project-management account or a drag-and-drop app.

Paste one task per line, or paste notes that already contain headings such as ## Backlog and ## In Progress. Each line becomes a card. The parser looks for practical status hints — status:done, [Blocked], wip, in progress, needs review, waiting on, and checked Markdown boxes — then routes the card into the closest matching column. It also pulls out common card metadata:

• @alice for assignee
• #infra or [backend] for labels
• !high, P1, or priority:critical for priority
• due:2026-09-01 for due dates
• - [x] for completed cards

Choose Markdown sections when you want an editable board file, a Markdown table when you want a side-by-side snapshot for a doc or issue, or JSON when you want to feed the board into another tool.

Worked example

Input:

Draft the launch email @alice due:2026-09-01
Fix the login redirect — blocked
Rewrite the parser (wip) !high
- [x] Ship the v1 changelog
Migrate the staging database #infra

With the default columns, the Markdown output is shaped like this:

# Kanban Board

## To Do (2)

- [ ] Draft the launch email @alice due:2026-09-01
- [ ] Migrate the staging database #infra

## In Progress (2)

- [ ] Fix the login redirect
- [ ] Rewrite the parser !high

## Done (1)

- [x] Ship the v1 changelog

If you add a Blocked column, the login redirect card is routed there instead of falling back to In Progress or To Do.

Tips for better boards

• Name your columns in the order you want them rendered: Backlog, To Do, In Progress, Blocked, Review, Done.
• Use status:column-name or [Column Name] on a line when you need exact routing.
• Keep one logical card per line. Multi-line descriptions are treated as separate cards so no text disappears.
• Set a WIP limit to flag overloaded columns. The limit is advisory: cards are never dropped.
• Use sort_by=priority or sort_by=due after the board is routed if you want the highest-risk or earliest-due cards first.

Limits and edge cases

• The input is capped at 500 task lines and 12 columns.
• Column matching is fuzzy but deterministic. A column named Doing catches wip and in progress; a column named Review catches needs review.
• Ambiguous cards go to default_column, or to the first configured column when no default is set.
• The tool is a converter, not a persistent board. It does not store cards, sync files, or provide drag-and-drop editing.
• JSON output includes parsed card fields, per-column counts, WIP-limit state, and totals. It is meant for automation, not for preserving every byte of the original notes.

FAQ