Doska

Overview

Doska is a local-first Kanban board built around Markdown cards. It is best suited to individuals who want an offline board they can manage as files, and to technically confident users willing to host collaboration themselves. Its central trade-off is attractive but consequential: personal use needs no server, while shared boards and cross-device sync do.

Cards support GitHub-flavored Markdown, including task lists, links to other cards, deadlines and priorities. The result is a board whose content can fit naturally into text-based workflows, rather than a service that requires an always-connected workspace. Doska is in active development, with bug reports and feature requests directed to GitHub. Its security policy describes a one-person project and a target of responding to private security reports within a week, a support and continuity consideration for organizations.

Key features

Board organization includes a row view, sortable deadlines and priorities, search, sidebar folders and undo for deleted cards. These tools cover common planning and recovery tasks while keeping the local board usable offline. The desktop app can synchronize boards both ways with a local folder, representing columns as folders and cards as Markdown files. That is a useful bridge for people who want file-level access, though it is specifically a desktop capability.

Collaboration requires a self-hosted server running with Docker and Docker Compose. Server admins create accounts; board owners can share boards or publish read-only links. This gives users control over where shared data lives, but it puts setup and upkeep on them instead of offering instant hosted collaboration. Self-hosted single sign-on works with OpenID Connect providers, including Authentik, Keycloak, Pocket ID and Google.

An MCP endpoint lets connected agents search and manage boards and cards. OAuth protects MCP access, and an agent can see only boards belonging to the signed-in account. Attachments also depend on a sync server and can be stored there or in an S3-compatible bucket; the default upload limit is 25 MiB per file. These server-dependent features make Doska more capable for a self-hosting user, but do not change the appeal of the simpler offline-only setup.

Pricing

Doska costs nothing. The open-source MIT-licensed plan has no features behind a paywall, making it a complete fit for users comfortable with local boards and, if needed, their own server. There is no free trial because there is no paid tier to trial. The trade-off is operational rather than monetary: cross-device synchronization, sharing and attachments require a self-hosted server.

The installer backs up existing data before redeploying, and the backup guide covers the bundled database and local files volume. That provides a practical safeguard for people maintaining their own installation, but they remain responsible for running the server.

Platforms

Doska supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, web, API and self-hosted deployments. Desktop apps additionally support two-way local-folder synchronization. Offline operation applies to boards stored locally; sync is layered on when configured.

Who it's for

Choose Doska if you want a personal Kanban board that remains available offline and stores cards in Markdown, or if you are prepared to self-host in exchange for shared boards, account management and cross-device synchronization. It is a weaker fit for a team that expects collaboration and attachments to work without operating Docker-based infrastructure, or for an organization that needs a larger support operation than a one-person project can promise.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Local boards work offline, so personal planning does not depend on a running sync service.
• Pro: Markdown cards and desktop folder sync make board content accessible in a file-based workflow.
• Pro: The free MIT-licensed plan has no paywalled features.
• Pro: Self-hosted sharing, OpenID Connect sign-on and scoped OAuth-protected agent access cover distinct collaboration and automation needs.
• Con: Cross-device sync and shared boards require a Docker and Docker Compose server, adding setup and maintenance.
• Con: Attachments also require the sync server, with a default 25 MiB single-file limit.
• Con: The project is maintained by one person, a meaningful continuity and support risk for organizations.

Alternatives

Kanban Software is the broader category directory for comparing more options.

Choose PLANKA if you want another self-hosted Kanban option with a free Community edition and a Pro Self-Hosted plan at €36 per mo. Its free trial and listed mobile, desktop, web and API platforms may suit users comparing a paid self-hosted tier.

WeKan is another free option across mobile, desktop, web and API platforms. Its WeKan app plan is free with no admin access; choose it if that distinction suits your needs, or consider WeKan Cloud at $50 a year for admin access and unlimited everything.

Choose MeisterTask if you prefer a freemium service available on Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows, with a free tier that allows unlimited tasks but caps projects at three and notes at five.

Jotform is a web and mobile alternative with a free Starter plan, including five forms and 100 monthly submissions; consider it when those form limits better match the work than a Kanban board.

Choose Planio if you need project-management plans with defined user and storage allowances: its Bronze tier has one project, two users, ten customers and 1 GB of storage, while Silver costs $25 a month.

SwiftKanban offers a free Team plan for up to three users and two boards, a better fit when those explicit team and board caps meet your needs.

Choose KanbanFlow if you want a free Kanban board without a time limit and standard support, or its Premium tier at $5 a month.

Trello is a freemium alternative for users who want a free hosted workspace with up to ten collaborators and ten boards per Workspace, subject to a 10MB per-file limit.

Verdict

Doska is a strong choice for individuals who value offline access, Markdown cards and an unrestricted free license, and for self-hosters who want to add sharing and synchronization on their own terms. The reason to look elsewhere is equally clear: collaboration and attachments depend on running a server, and project support rests with a one-person maintainer.