I Built a Simple Offline HTML Tool to Manage Freelance Work (No SaaS, No Login)

Source: Dev.to

The problem with “heavy” tools

Most modern productivity tools assume:

• teams
• constant internet connection
• subscriptions
• complex setups

As a solo freelancer, that often felt like overkill.

The solution: a tiny offline HTML tool

I built a small offline‑first tool using plain HTML and JavaScript. It works like this:

1. Download the file.
2. Open it in your browser.
3. Start using it.

• No login.
• All data is stored locally in the browser.

What it does (and doesn’t)

The tool lets me:

• Manage clients
• Track tasks
• Keep simple notes

It doesn’t try to:

• Replace full project‑management software
• Support teams
• Sync across devices

And that’s intentional.

Why I like this approach

Building something simple forced me to be very intentional. Instead of asking “what features can I add?”, I asked:

• What can I remove?
• What’s the minimum that still works?

The result is a tool that stays out of the way and lets me focus on actual work.

Sharing it

The source and demo are available on GitHub:
https://github.com/chry1977/freelancer-mini-manager

A downloadable version is also available here:
https://payhip.com/b/epN9y

Final thoughts

This won’t be for everyone. I’d be genuinely curious to hear:

• How others manage freelance work
• Whether you’ve also stepped away from heavier tools

Thanks for reading.