Dovilo blog

Notes written while building Dovilo, a free to-do list with a focus timer and a city builder, by one engineer in Istanbul. 21 posts so far on focus, gamification and task management for coding agents.

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  1. Task manager for programmers: what to look for

    · 8 min read

    Developer task management has three separate layers: your own plan, the team issue tracker, and the agent queue. Most tools cover one. Here is how to tell which you need.

  2. Productivity RPG: how to build an XP system for real work

    · 7 min read

    XP, quests, stats and levels applied to actual tasks. A four-step system you can run in a notebook, with XP ranges to start from and the parts that usually break.

  3. Productivity gamification: what the research actually shows

    · 7 min read

    Gamification reliably raises engagement in short studies. Long-term evidence is thinner than the marketing suggests. What holds up, what does not, and how to test it.

  4. Gamified to-do list: why game mechanics beat guilt

    · 7 min read

    Guilt gets you through a week. A reward tied to finished work gets you through a year. What separates gamification that lasts from badges and broken streaks.

  5. Task prioritization apps: how to rank your day and pick a tool

    · 8 min read

    Prioritization is a decision you make, not a feature you buy. Here are three ranking methods that survive a real day, and what an app has to do to support them.

  6. Gamified task manager: how to pick one that keeps working

    · 7 min read

    Most gamified task managers fail the same way: the reward stops meaning anything. Here is how to judge the mechanic, and how the main options differ.

  7. AI productivity tools: where the time savings actually show up

    · 7 min read

    Measured time savings from AI are smaller than they feel. Here is what the data shows, which categories hold up, and why the handoffs between tools cost the most.

  8. Time blocking app guide: how to pick one that fits your day

    · 8 min read

    Time blocking needs three layers: a calendar, a task list, and something that protects the block. Here is what each type of app does and how to combine them.

  9. Focus session app: how to build a routine that sticks

    · 8 min read

    Why focus routines collapse after a missed day, and how to build one that survives it. Session length, task setup, weekly review, and what to look for in an app.

  10. AI agent task management: how coding agents use to-dos

    · 9 min read

    What a to-do list needs before a coding agent can work from it: programmatic access, real statuses, isolation from your personal list, and a way to hand work back.

  11. Task management for AI coding agents: a Dovilo MCP setup guide

    · 10 min read

    Give Claude Code, Cursor and other coding agents a persistent task list over Dovilo's Agents MCP. Setup, the 9 tools, statuses, webhooks and limits.

  12. Deep work app: how to choose one that fits how you focus

    · 9 min read

    Blockers, timers, task managers or gamified apps? A plain framework for choosing a deep work app based on where your focus actually breaks.

  13. Claude Code Productivity: Ship More With AI Task Queues

    · 9 min read

    Boost Claude Code productivity by replacing manual task handoffs with an AI task queue that lets the agent run longer sessions with less interruption.

  14. Developer Productivity Tools That Cut Context-Switch Costs

    · 10 min read

    Developer productivity tools do more than speed up tasks. Find out which categories actually reduce context-switch costs and how to choose the right ones.

  15. Best Productivity Apps for Developers and Indie Hackers in 2026

    · 8 min read

    Five task tools for solo developers running AI coding agents in 2026: what each one does with MCP, and where each one stops.

  16. Forest App Alternative: 5 Focus Apps With More Features

    · 9 min read

    Looking for a Forest app alternative with real task management and gamification? These 5 focus apps go further than a simple timer.

  17. TickTick Alternative: Which App Fits Your Workflow Better?

    · 8 min read

    Find the right TickTick alternative for your workflow, from gamified task apps to tools a coding assistant can work from.

  18. Habitica Alternative: 6 Gamified Apps Ranked for 2026

    · 9 min read

    Find the best Habitica alternative for 2026 with this ranked guide to 6 gamified productivity apps, from city-builders to RPG habit trackers.

  19. Cursor AI Tools: How Developers Use Them Daily in 2026

    · 11 min read

    Cursor AI tools are reshaping how developers work in 2026. Learn the daily workflows, agent habits, and MCP integrations that help solo devs ship faster.

  20. Best Gamified Productivity Apps in 2026 (Ranked & Reviewed)

    · 13 min read

    The gamified productivity apps worth using in 2026: city builders, RPG habit trackers and focus timers, with what each costs and where each stops.

  21. Todoist Alternative: 7 Apps Worth Switching To in 2026

    · 10 min read

    Find the best Todoist alternative in 2026, from gamified apps to AI-native tools, with honest notes on who each one suits best.