I want to build an open-source planner that combines features such as mind maps, to-do lists, and possibly calendar-style organization. I'm developing on a Linux PC and have experience with game development, modding, Godot, and general programming.
The app should support Windows, Linux, and Android, with macOS and iOS support as optional additions. I also want to avoid depending on Google, Microsoft, or Meta services. Godot can technically target several of these platforms, but I'm unsure whether it would be practical or efficient for a productivity app, especially regarding performance, UI development, synchronization, and maintenance.
What development approach or technology stack would be the most reliable for this project? Should I use Godot, build a web app and package it for different platforms, or use a framework such as Flutter or React Native?
5 Answers
Godot can work, especially since you already know it, but it may not be the most natural fit for a productivity application. You’ll spend more time creating conventional interface components and handling platform-specific behavior than you would with a UI-focused framework. If you’re comfortable writing everything yourself, starting with Godot is still reasonable for a prototype—just be aware that familiarity may matter more than theoretical performance here.
The project sounds similar in scope to combining a knowledge-management tool with an outliner and task manager. That’s a substantial amount of functionality, so defining the first version carefully is more important than finding the perfect framework. A browser-first prototype with a focused feature set would give you useful feedback before committing to a full desktop and mobile stack.
A web application is probably the most practical starting point. Browsers already cover Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, and you can later package the same core application for desktop or mobile if necessary. It also makes synchronization between devices easier to design from the beginning. Keep the backend and data model independent of any particular major cloud provider if avoiding those ecosystems is important.
Think about synchronization before choosing the client framework. If users expect their plans to appear on multiple devices, you’ll need a server-side component, local storage, conflict handling, and probably offline behavior. Build a working web version first, then consider a native or cross-platform client using something like Flutter or React Native once the underlying behavior is stable.
Start much smaller than the complete vision. Pick one platform and one core feature, such as a browser-based to-do list or a simple cross-device diagram editor. That will let you validate the data model, user interface, and synchronization strategy before taking on mind maps, calendars, offline support, and several operating systems at once.
I’m fine with a code-heavy solution. My main concern is choosing something that runs reliably and gives me the fewest problems across platforms.