Feb 04, 2026 · Homelab / Beginner · ~2 MIN READ
Self-Host a Kanban Board with Vikunja
Organize homelab work into visible, actionable tasks instead of keeping ideas scattered across random notes.
Who This Is For
Beginner to intermediate.
Think of it like a whiteboard on the fridge with sticky notes for chores, Backlog, Doing, Done, except it doesn’t fall off and get lost when someone slams the door.
What You’ll Build
A working board containing your current homelab tasks and recurring maintenance reminders.
Prerequisites
- Docker host
Why Project Tracking Matters Here
- Server rebuilds
- Network segmentation projects
- Backup migrations
- Certification study plans
Deploy with Docker Compose
$ services:
$ vikunja:
$ image: vikunja/vikunja:latest
$ ports: ["3456:3456"]
$ volumes:
$ - ./data:/app/vikunja/filesCreate a Project Hierarchy
One top-level project per major area (Network, Storage, Security, Automation) works well for most homelabs.
Suggested Board Columns
$ Backlog → Planned → Building → Testing → Documented → DoneLabels
- Security
- Network
- Storage
- Automation
- Urgent
Recurring Maintenance Tasks
Set due dates and recurrence for things like “run a restore test” or “review SMART reports” so they don’t get forgotten.
Sharing With Household Members
Share specific projects (not the whole instance) for household task tracking alongside homelab work.
Security & Backup Notes
- Even for a personal tool, back up the database, losing a project board with months of tracked context is a real loss
Troubleshooting
- Database persistence, confirm the data volume is mounted correctly before you rely on it
- Reverse proxy callbacks, set the correct public URL in Vikunja’s config to match how it’s actually accessed
- User permissions, double-check project sharing scope before assuming something is private
- Overcomplicating the workflow, start with one simple board; add structure only once you feel the need for it
Lab Finish Line
A working board containing current homelab tasks and recurring maintenance reminders.