Lanternwright

For the everyday stuffworking name

Kindstart

A Windows app. Early builds called it Focus Companion.

Pick one thing, shrink it to a tiny first step, and get started.

There are no due dates, so nothing is ever “overdue”.

Kindstart's main window: the task Draft the monthly newsletter in Now, its next step Write one sentence that says what it is for, seven small steps with time ranges, a timer at 12:34 counting up, and a brain dump box and task lists on the right. Click to try it
Type one thing you have to do and see the steps Kindstart would give you, with time ranges and a first step of two minutes or less. It does the whole thing in this page: nothing is saved and nothing is sent anywhere.

This is one part of Kindstart, the part that needs no account and no install. The app itself has not launched yet.

Kindstart is for the moment before starting. Dump everything on your mind, pick one thing, break it down to a first step that takes two minutes or less, and work alongside a gentle timer that doesn't scold anyone for running over. It runs on a Windows PC with no account.

Who it's for

Adults with ADHD, and anyone else who has trouble starting tasks or loses track of time, who works at a Windows PC and is tired of subscriptions and accounts.

What it does

  • A brain dump that doesn't lose anything. Type or paste everything on your mind and get a clean list back. There's a preview first, and nothing typed gets dropped.
  • Shrinks the task. Built-in templates for everyday jobs, at three levels of detail. The first step always takes two minutes or less. No AI involved.
  • No due dates. Estimates are ranges, because nobody actually knows, and nothing is ever “overdue”.
  • The pill. A little window stays on top with just the next step in it, and it doesn't steal the cursor from whatever's being typed.
  • A timer that doesn't scold. Count up, count down or aim at a soft target. Running over says “Still going”, never red, and breaks don't end on their own.
  • No streaks, points or badges. No guilt words either, and undo on anything that deletes.
  • Keyboard first. Global keys to show the pill, jot down a thought or start the timer from anywhere.
  • The accessibility stuff is in the free version. Light, dark and high-contrast themes, text up to 200 percent, reduced motion, and timer updates that make sense to a screen reader.

What it doesn't do

  • It doesn't block sites or apps.
  • No calendar or to-do app integrations.
  • No mood, symptom or medication tracking.
  • No account, cloud sync or telemetry.
  • It isn't a medical tool and doesn't diagnose anything.

A few more screenshots

Kindstart breaking Book a haircut into eight small steps, each with a time range such as 1-2 min, about 10-25 minutes in all, with buttons for less or more detail.
Breaking a task down. The first step always takes two minutes or less.
The Kindstart pill, a small window showing the step Write one sentence that says what it is for, a timer at 11:55 with 12 minutes left, and Done, Next and Pause buttons.
The pill sits on top of other windows and shows just the next step.

Questions

Is it a subscription?
No. The core is free forever, and Pro is planned as a one-time purchase.
Do I need AI?
No. Breakdown works fully offline with templates. Local AI is an optional Pro extra that runs on a model you host.
Will it nag me about streaks or missed days?
No. It has no streaks and no idea what a missed day is. Coming back after a week looks the same as coming back after an hour.

What it keeps, and where

Tasks, steps, notes and focus sessions stay in one file on the PC, and it doesn't send crash reports or usage data anywhere.

Goes online only for: Update check (on by default, and you can turn it off); Try local AI (Pro) (off until you turn it on).

The full Kindstart privacy section

Runs on, and what it'll cost

Runs on
Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit). Also runs in a modern browser on Windows, macOS or Linux with Python 3.11 or newer, without the pill window and global keys.
Cost
The core is free forever. Pro is planned as a single purchase with a year of updates. It adds AI breakdown with a local model, estimates tuned to your own pace, routines, appearance presets and Markdown folder sync. A free Pro license is available just by asking. No trial that runs out, no nagging, no countdown sales.

A productivity tool, not a medical one. It does not diagnose, treat or track anything health-related.

Windows is a trademark of its owner, and Ollama, LM Studio and KoboldCpp are the names of their respective projects. Kindstart is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.