📝 Task Management for Solo UE5 Developers

Compare task management approaches and find what works for your workflow

🎮

In-Editor Task Manager

Manage tasks directly inside Unreal Editor without context switching.

Pros:

  • Zero context switching
  • Always visible while working
  • Fast task creation
  • Game dev-specific features
  • Free/affordable plugins available

Cons:

  • Limited collaboration features
  • No mobile app access
  • Fewer advanced features
Best For: Solo developers, small teams, maximizing focus, avoiding distractions
📋

Trello

Visual kanban board system for organizing tasks and features.

Pros:

  • Simple, intuitive interface
  • Visual board layout
  • Free tier available
  • Good mobile apps
  • Easy to share with others

Cons:

  • Requires browser/app switch
  • Can be distracting
  • Limited reporting
  • Scales poorly for complex projects
Best For: Visual thinkers, simple projects, teams needing basic collaboration
📊

Jira

Enterprise-grade project management with advanced features and workflows.

Pros:

  • Powerful reporting
  • Customizable workflows
  • Sprint planning features
  • Integration ecosystem
  • Professional tools

Cons:

  • Massive overkill for solo devs
  • Expensive ($7.75+/user/month)
  • Complex setup
  • Steep learning curve
  • Slows down workflow
Best For: Large teams, enterprise projects, complex requirements tracking
📓

Notion

All-in-one workspace combining tasks, docs, and databases.

Pros:

  • Flexible, customizable
  • Combines notes + tasks
  • Templates available
  • Free for personal use
  • Beautiful interface

Cons:

  • Can be overwhelming
  • Requires setup time
  • Easy to over-organize
  • Internet required
Best For: Documentation-heavy projects, knowledge base needs, flexible workflows
🗒️

Plain Text / Markdown

Simple TODO.md file in your project folder, edited in VS Code or similar.

Pros:

  • Completely free
  • No external services
  • Fast and lightweight
  • Version controlled
  • Zero learning curve

Cons:

  • No visual boards
  • Manual organization
  • No notifications
  • Limited collaboration
Best For: Minimalists, offline work, version control integration
✅

Todoist / TickTick

Personal productivity apps with task management and scheduling.

Pros:

  • Great for personal productivity
  • Natural language input
  • Mobile apps excellent
  • Calendar integration

Cons:

  • Not dev-project focused
  • Premium features cost money
  • Tempting to over-schedule
Best For: Personal task management, time blocking, life + dev work combined

Comparison for Solo Developers

Feature In-Editor Trello Jira Notion Plain Text Todoist
Context Switching ★★★★★ None ★★☆☆☆ High ★☆☆☆☆ Very High ★★☆☆☆ High ★★★★☆ Low ★★☆☆☆ High
Setup Time 5 minutes 15 minutes 1-2 hours 30-60 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes
Monthly Cost (Solo) $0-20 one-time $0-5 $7.75+ $0-8 $0 $0-4
Collaboration Limited Excellent Excellent Good Basic (via Git) Good
Mobile Access ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ⚠️ Limited ✅
Offline Work ✅ ⚠️ Limited ❌ ⚠️ Limited ✅ ⚠️ Limited

🎯 Our Recommendation

For solo UE5 developers, an in-editor task manager is the best choice. The productivity gains from eliminating context switching far outweigh any advanced features you'd get from external tools.

Why? Every time you switch from UE5 to a browser or app, you break your flow state. You see notifications, get distracted, and lose precious momentum. In-editor tools keep you focused on making your game.

Save Jira for when you're working with a team. Save Trello for planning phases. But for day-to-day development tasks, keep it in the editor where you're already working.

Try In-Editor Task Management

Stop context switching and stay focused on your game

View Easy Kanban Board