academic_project_tracker

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Research Project Tracker.

General Questions

What is Research Project Tracker?

Research Project Tracker is a free, open-source project management tool designed specifically for researchers, graduate students, and academics. It helps you organize research projects, track tasks, manage deadlines, and maintain goals.

Who is this for?

• Graduate Students - Manage thesis/dissertation projects
• Researchers - Track multiple research initiatives
• Professors - Organize courses and research labs
• Academic Teams - Coordinate research group work
• Anyone - Who needs focused project tracking

Is it free?

Yes! Research Project Tracker is completely free and open-source under the MIT License. You can use it, modify it, and even redistribute it.

Does it work offline?

Yes! Everything runs locally on your computer. No internet connection required after installation.

Installation & Setup

What do I need to install it?

• Node.js (v16.0.0 or higher)
• A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
• About 100MB of disk space

See INSTALLATION.md for detailed instructions.

How do I start using it?

npm install
cd src/frontend && npm install && cd ../..
npm run dev

Then open http://localhost:5173 in your browser.

Can I use the student template?

Yes! Run npm run setup:student to start with pre-configured projects, tags, and goals.

Where is my data stored?

Your data is stored locally in a SQLite database at src/backend/data/tracker.db. You own your data completely.

Features & Usage

Can I customize the tags and categories?

Yes! You can create, edit, and delete tags. Each tag can have a custom color. Tags help organize and filter tasks.

How do priorities work?

Tasks have four priority levels:

• Critical ⭐ - Urgent, important tasks
• High 🔥 - Important but not urgent
• Medium ⚡ - Normal priority
• Low 💡 - Nice to have

Tasks automatically sort by priority within each column.

What are the task statuses?

• To Do - Not started yet
• In Progress - Currently working on it
• Review - Needs review or feedback
• Done - Completed

Drag and drop tasks between columns to change status.

Can I add links to tasks?

Yes! Add links in the task description. The app will automatically detect and create preview badges for:

• Google Docs 📄
• Overleaf 📝
• GitHub 🐙
• Google Drive 📁
• And more

What’s the difference between projects and tasks?

• Projects - Large research initiatives (e.g., “PhD Dissertation”, “Grant Application”)
• Tasks - Specific actionable items within projects (e.g., “Write Chapter 3”, “Submit IRB”)

Can I set deadlines?

Yes! Each task can have a due date. Tasks with approaching deadlines are highlighted, and overdue tasks are marked in red.

What are checklists for?

Checklists break down tasks into smaller steps. Great for complex tasks with multiple sub-steps.

Can I track monthly and semester goals?

Yes! The Goals section lets you set and track:

• Monthly Goals - What you want to accomplish this month
• Semester Goals - Longer-term academic objectives
• Custom Goals - Any timeframe you need

Data Management

How do I backup my data?

Option 1 - Quick backup:

npm run backup

Option 2 - Manual backup: Copy src/backend/data/tracker.db to a safe location.

Can I export my data?

Currently, data is stored in SQLite format. You can:

• Copy the database file
• Use SQLite tools to export to CSV/JSON
• (Export feature coming in v1.1)

How do I reset everything?

Warning: This deletes all data!

rm src/backend/data/tracker.db
npm run dev  # Creates fresh database

Can I use it on multiple computers?

You can manually sync the database file between computers using:

• Cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive)
• Git (if you’re comfortable with it)
• USB drive

Automatic sync is not built-in (yet).

Collaboration

Can multiple people use it?

Currently, it’s single-user only. Multi-user support is on the roadmap for v2.0.

Can I share projects with my advisor?

Not directly in the app. You could:

• Share screenshots
• Export data
• Give them access to your database file
• (Collaboration features planned for v2.0)

Technical Questions

What technologies does it use?

• Frontend: React + Vite + Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Node.js + Express
• Database: SQLite

Can I modify the code?

Yes! It’s open-source. See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

Can I deploy it to a server?

Yes! See INSTALLATION.md for production build instructions. Cloud deployment guides coming soon.

Does it support Docker?

Docker support is planned. See ROADMAP.md.

What browsers are supported?

Modern versions of:

• Chrome / Chromium
• Firefox
• Safari
• Edge

Can I run it on mobile?

The web interface works on mobile browsers, but it’s not optimized yet. Mobile apps are on the roadmap.

Troubleshooting

Port 5050 or 5173 is already in use

Kill the process:

# macOS/Linux
lsof -ti:5050 | xargs kill -9

# Windows
netstat -ano | findstr :5050
taskkill /PID <process_id> /F

Tasks aren’t saving

1. Check browser console for errors (F12)
2. Verify backend is running (http://localhost:5050/api/health)
3. Check database file permissions

Frontend won’t load

1. Clear browser cache
2. Restart dev server
3. Reinstall frontend dependencies:

   cd src/frontend
   rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
   npm install
   

Database errors

Try resetting (warning: deletes data):

rm src/backend/data/tracker.db
npm run dev

More help?

See TROUBLESHOOTING.md or open an issue.

Feature Requests

Can you add [feature]?

Maybe! Check the roadmap to see if it’s planned. If not, open a feature request.

How can I contribute?

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines. We welcome:

• Bug reports
• Feature requests
• Code contributions
• Documentation improvements
• Testing and feedback

Why isn’t [feature] included?

We focus on core research project management features. Some features are:

• Planned - See the roadmap
• Out of scope - Doesn’t fit the core mission
• Community needed - Waiting for contributions

Philosophy & Design

Why local-first?

• Privacy - Your research data stays on your machine
• Speed - No network latency
• Ownership - You control your data
• Simplicity - Easier to set up and maintain

Why SQLite?

• Portable (single file)
• Fast and reliable
• No server required
• Easy to backup
• Works everywhere

Why is it so simple?

We believe in:

• Focus - Do project tracking really well
• Clarity - Easy to understand and use
• Speed - Quick to learn and navigate
• Reliability - Just works, every time

Complex != Better

Getting Help

Where can I get support?

1. Check this FAQ
2. Read the documentation
3. Search existing issues
4. Open a new issue
5. Start a discussion

How do I report a bug?

Use the bug report template. Include:

• Steps to reproduce
• Expected vs actual behavior
• Screenshots
• Environment details

Can I get on a call for help?

We don’t offer one-on-one support, but the community is helpful! Post in Discussions.

License & Legal

Can I use this for commercial purposes?

Yes! The MIT License allows commercial use.

Can I modify and redistribute it?

Yes! Just keep the original license notice.

Do you collect any data?

No! Everything runs locally. We don’t collect, transmit, or store any user data.

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Still have questions? Open a discussion or issue!

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