cd ..

[ project / 08 ] · Desktop App

Athena.

A second-brain desktop app that consolidates projects, tasks, notes, events, finances and goals into one local-first workspace.

ElectronJavaScriptSQLiteBootstrap 5Node.js

in action

The interface

Home· Athena: main dashboard
1 / 10
Athena: main dashboard
expand

click image to expand fullscreen

about the project

Athena was built to learn Electron: the idea of shipping a native desktop app using the same HTML, CSS and JavaScript you'd write for a browser was interesting enough to build something real around. The result is a second-brain application: a single place for everything that would otherwise be spread across browser tabs, sticky notes, calendar apps and separate task managers. Projects, tasks, notes, events, finances, goals and a resource library, all in one window, all stored locally on the machine.

The architecture follows Electron's process model strictly: the main process owns the SQLite database (via better-sqlite3) and exposes data through contextBridge IPC handlers, while the renderer process handles all UI through Bootstrap 5 components. Nothing crosses the process boundary without going through a defined IPC channel, keeping the renderer sandboxed and the data layer isolated.

The inbox is the operational center: it pulls active items across all seven modules into a single view so nothing is lost in a tab you forgot to check. Each module has its own full CRUD interface, with the finance tracker keeping a full transaction history and the goals system tracking progress over time.

Distributed as a cross-platform installer built with Electron Builder, with releases available on GitHub. The entire data store is a single local SQLite file: no account, no sync, no third-party cloud touching your notes or finances.

project.meta

type
Desktop App
stack
Electron · JavaScript · SQLite · Bootstrap 5 · Node.js
source
repo

what it does

Key features

01

Seven integrated modules

Projects, Tasks, Notes, Events, Finances, Goals and a Resource Library — each with full CRUD, unified under a single inbox view.

02

Local-first, no cloud

All data lives in a local SQLite file via better-sqlite3. No account required, no data leaving the machine.

03

Secure IPC architecture

Main process owns the database and exposes it through contextBridge IPC handlers. Renderer is sandboxed — no direct database access from the UI layer.

04

Finance tracking with transaction history

Full transaction log with categorization and a finance overview dashboard for spending visibility over time.

05

Goals system with progress monitoring

Define goals, track milestones and monitor completion progress over time — all persisted locally.

06

Cross-platform via Electron Builder

Packaged for Windows, macOS and Linux. Installable from GitHub Releases, no dev environment needed.