Create a Simple To-Do List in Python – Stay Organized

Question

Staying organized is key for students, developers, and anyone managing tasks. In this tutorial, we’ll build a simple To-Do List in Python that allows you to add, view, and delete tasks directly from the console. It’s a perfect beginner-friendly project and a great way to practice Python programming.
Prerequisites
-Basic knowledge of Python
-Python installed on your computer (or use Replit to run the code online)
Step 1: The Complete Code
import datetime

List to store tasks

tasks = []

def show_menu():

print("\n=== Student To-Do App ===")
print("1. Add a task")
print("2. Show all tasks")
print("3. Show today's tasks")
print("4. Delete a task")
print("5. Quit")

def add_task():

title = input("Task name: ")
priority = input("Priority (high/medium/low): ").lower()
deadline = input("Deadline (YYYY-MM-DD, leave empty if none): ")

if deadline:
    try:
        deadline = datetime.datetime.strptime(deadline, "%Y-%m-%d").date()
    except ValueError:
        print(" Wrong date format! Example: 2025-09-14")
        return
else:
    deadline = None

task = {"title": title, "priority": priority, "deadline": deadline}
tasks.append(task)
print(f" Task '{title}' added successfully!")

def show_all_tasks():

if not tasks:
    print(" No tasks found.")
    return
print("\n--- All Tasks ---")
for i, task in enumerate(tasks, start=1):
    deadline_str = task["deadline"].strftime("%Y-%m-%d") if task["deadline"] else "No deadline"
    print(f"{i}. {task['title']} | Priority: {task['priority']} | Deadline: {deadline_str}")

def show_today_tasks():

today = datetime.date.today()
today_tasks = [t for t in tasks if t["deadline"] == today]

if not today_tasks:
    print(" No tasks for today!")
    return

print("\n--- Today's Tasks ---")
for i, task in enumerate(today_tasks, start=1):
    print(f"{i}. {task['title']} | Priority: {task['priority']}")

def delete_task():

show_all_tasks()
if not tasks:
    return
try:
    index = int(input("Task number to delete: ")) - 1
    if 0 <= index < len(tasks):
        removed = tasks.pop(index)
        print(f" Task '{removed['title']}' deleted.")
    else:
        print(" Invalid number.")
except ValueError:
    print(" Invalid input. Enter a number.")

Main program

while True:

show_menu()
choice = input("Your choice: ")

if choice == "1":
    add_task()
elif choice == "2":
    show_all_tasks()
elif choice == "3":
    show_today_tasks()
elif choice == "4":
    delete_task()
elif choice == "5":
    print(" Thanks for using Student To-Do App. Good luck!")
    break
else:
    print(" Invalid choice, try again.")

Step 2: How It Works
1/ Add a task: Enter the task name, priority, and optional deadline.

2/ Show all tasks: See a list of all your tasks with their priority and deadline.

3/ Show today’s tasks: Only display tasks due today.

4/ Delete a task: Remove a task by its number in the list.

5/ Quit: Exit the application.
Step 3: Possible Improvements
-Add file saving so tasks remain after closing the program.

-Create a GUI version using Tkinter or Streamlit.

-Add a Pomodoro timer to help stay focused.
Conclusion
This simple Python project helps you practice basic Python concepts like lists, dictionaries, loops, and user input. You can expand it into a bigger project, like a fully-featured To-Do App or a study planner.

Try it yourself, modify it, and share your version with the CoderLegion community!