Tasks.md vs Vikunja
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted project management & tasks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Vikunja
Open-source to-do and project management app
| Feature | Tasks.md | Vikunja |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 66 · Good | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Project Management & Tasks | Project Management & Tasks |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,200 | ★ 5,494 |
| First released | 2023 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Trello | Todoist, Trello, Asana |
What are Tasks.md and Vikunja?
Tasks.md
Tasks.md is a self-hosted, file-based task management tool where every card is a Markdown file. It provides a kanban interface backed entirely by plain text files.
- Cards stored as Markdown files
- No database required
- Drag-and-drop kanban board
- Easy to back up with git
Vikunja
Vikunja is an open-source to-do app and project management tool with lists, kanban, gantt, and calendar views. It targets individuals and teams wanting flexible task management. It is deployed via Docker or a single binary.
- List, kanban, gantt and calendar views
- Reminders and recurring tasks
- REST API
- Lightweight single binary
Tasks.md vs Vikunja: key differences
Tasks.md is written in JavaScript, while Vikunja is built with Go. Licensing differs — MIT for Tasks.md versus AGPL-3.0 for Vikunja. Tasks.md is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Vikunja. Vikunja is the more established project (first released 2019), while Tasks.md arrived in 2023. Vikunja has the considerably larger community, at 5,494 GitHub stars versus 2,200.
Why pick each one
Choose Tasks.md if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.2k GitHub stars)
Choose Vikunja if…
- Flexible task views
- Lightweight
- Good API
Watch out for
- Smaller ecosystem
- Fewer integrations than rivals
Frequently asked questions
Is Tasks.md or Vikunja better?
Neither is universally better. Vikunja has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Tasks.md and Vikunja free and open-source?
Yes. Tasks.md is licensed under MIT and Vikunja under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Tasks.md and Vikunja with Docker?
Tasks.md: yes. Vikunja: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Tasks.md or Vikunja?
Tasks.md has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Vikunja. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.