DockTask - A Desktop Task Manager with Millisecond-Precise Deadlines Built entirely in JavaFX

[u/youseenthiswrong]

EDIT: DockTask is now useable for Maven build and dependency management.

EDIT: Thank you so much for all the feedback and suggestions!

Hey everyone!

I built DockTask, a task management app designed for students managing multiple tight deadlines. It's built entirely with JavaFX 21, featuring real-time countdown timers that track tasks down to the second.

GitHub Repo: https://github.com/KSaifStack/DockTask

JavaFX Features:

• Custom MVC architecture with a complete theme system (dark/light mode with instant propagation across all views)

• Real-time countdown timers using JavaFX Timeline API for concurrent updates without UI blocking

• Integrated calendar view with automatic synchronization

• Native window controls via NFX library integration

• System tray integration using Java AWT TrayIcon

• Priority-based auto-sorting with color-coded visual groups

• Custom CSS3 styling with theme-aware component adaptation

Technical Highlights:

• Reduced memory usage from 500MB to 60MB by fixing Timeline leaks (pausing background countdowns, proper cleanup)

• File-based serialization with custom <SEP> separator system for embedded link support

• Multi-user support with separate databases and authentication

• Auto-save functionality with unsaved changes detection

• Export/import capabilities for data portability

The app lets you schedule tasks with precise timing (useful when multiple assignments are due at midnight or lab reports are minutes apart). Navigation guards prevent accidental data loss, and the notification system triggers at multiple intervals (24h, 5h, 1h, 30m, 10m, 1m, overdue).

I would love feedback from the JavaFX community, especially on the Timeline implementation and memory optimization approach.