Task Tracker CLI (Python)

https://roadmap.sh/projects/task-tracker

A command-line task management application built using Python. It allows users to create, update, delete, and track tasks directly from the terminal, with persistent storage using a JSON file.

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Features

• Add new tasks
• Update existing tasks
• Delete tasks
• Mark tasks as todo, in-progress, or done
• List all tasks
• Filter tasks by status
• Automatic ID generation
• Timestamp tracking (createdAt, updatedAt)
• No external libraries used

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Project Structure

task-tracker/
├── task_cli.py
└── tasks.json   (auto-created on first task)

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Requirements

• Python 3.x
• Standard library only (no external dependencies)

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How It Works

The application follows this flow:

CLI Input → Parse Command → Load JSON → Modify Data → Save JSON → Output

Key Modules Used

• sys → read command-line arguments
• json → store and retrieve tasks
• os → check file existence
• datetime → generate timestamps

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Task Data Format

Each task is stored as a dictionary inside a list:

{
    "id": 1,
    "description": "Study Python",
    "status": "todo",
    "createdAt": "2026-04-22T19:00:00",
    "updatedAt": "2026-04-22T19:00:00"
}

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Usage

Run commands using:

python task_cli.py <command> [arguments]

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Available Commands

1. Add a Task

python task_cli.py add "Task description"

Example:

python task_cli.py add "Study Python"

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2. List All Tasks

python task_cli.py list

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3. List Tasks by Status

python task_cli.py list done
python task_cli.py list todo
python task_cli.py list in-progress

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4. Update a Task

python task_cli.py update <id> "New description"

Example:

python task_cli.py update 1 "Study Python deeply"

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5. Delete a Task

python task_cli.py delete <id>

Example:

python task_cli.py delete 1

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6. Mark Task as In Progress

python task_cli.py mark-in-progress <id>

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7. Mark Task as Done

python task_cli.py mark-done <id>

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Core Functions

Function	Purpose
load_tasks()	Reads tasks from JSON file
save_tasks(tasks)	Writes tasks to JSON file
add_task(description)	Adds a new task
list_tasks(filter_status)	Displays tasks (optionally filtered)
update_task(id, description)	Updates task description
delete_task(id)	Deletes a task
update_status(id, status)	Changes task status
find_task(tasks, id)	Finds a task by ID

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Error Handling

• Handles missing JSON file safely
• Prevents crashes on invalid inputs
• Checks for missing arguments
• Validates task existence before update/delete

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Future Improvements

• Task priorities (high/medium/low)
• Deadlines and reminders
• Sorting (by date or status)
• Export tasks to CSV
• GUI version

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Learning Outcomes

This project demonstrates:

• CLI-based application design
• File handling in Python
• JSON data manipulation
• Program structuring and modular functions
• Error handling and input validation

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Author

Arkapravo Roy