Habitica

Self-Hosted

Open-source gamified productivity app to build habits and stay motivated

Overview

Habitica turns real-life tasks (habits, dailies, to-dos) into an RPG where you level up, earn rewards, and join quests by completing goals. It supports team collaboration, custom challenges, and personalized game elements (classes, items). Self-hostable via Docker or manual setup (Node.js + MongoDB), allowing full data control. Sync across devices works with proper configuration, ideal for users wanting gamified motivation while retaining privacy.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  habitica:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: habitica
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Gamified task management with RPG progression
Collaborative quests and team challenges
Self-hostable via Docker or manual deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Habitica hard to install?

Habitica is easy to install via Docker (using the official Compose file) for container-savvy users. Manual setup needs Node.js and MongoDB knowledge, but community guides in the GitHub repo simplify the process for beginners.

? Is it a good alternative to proprietary apps like Todoist?

Yes—Habitica adds gamification to task management (unlike Todoist’s focus on organization) and lets you self-host, giving full control over your data, a key edge over proprietary tools.

? Is Habitica completely free?

Absolutely—Habitica is open-source under the MIT License, so it’s free to use, self-host, or modify. No paid tiers or hidden costs exist for core features.

Top Alternatives

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Tool Info

Pricing Free/Open Source

Category Miscellaneous

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (self-hosted data control)
⊕ No subscription fees
⊕ Highly customizable game mechanics

Cons

⊖ Requires basic server knowledge for setup
⊖ Initial configuration may take time
⊖ Some advanced quest features need manual setup