dev-cal.app: Building a Lightweight Developer-Focused Calendar
I needed a simple, lightweight calendar solution for tracking PTO, priorities, releases, and sprints without the complexity and cost of enterprise tools. So I built dev-cal.app — a developer-focused calendar application that combines essential team management features into a single, streamlined interface.
The Problem
Most calendar and team management tools are either too expensive, too complex, or missing the specific features development teams need. I wanted something that could handle:
- PTO tracking with request/approval workflows
- Release date management visible on the calendar
- Sprint planning and tracking
- Team priorities and current work visibility
- Multi-tenant support for different companies/teams
All without the bloat of enterprise project management suites or the high costs of SaaS solutions.
The Solution
dev-cal.app is a lightweight, self-hosted calendar application built with modern web technologies. It provides a clean, Outlook-style calendar interface with toggleable layers for PTO, releases, and priorities, giving teams exactly what they need without unnecessary features.
Key Features
Calendar Views The application supports multiple calendar views (Month, Week, Day, Quarter, Year) with an Outlook-style interface. Users can toggle visibility of PTO, releases, and priorities to customize their view based on what’s relevant.
PTO Management Full PTO request and approval workflow with company-wide visibility. Admins can view all PTO across the organization, and team members can see when colleagues are out.
Release Tracking Track production releases directly on the calendar. Releases are visible to all team members and can be toggled on/off in the calendar view.
Priority Management Manage team priorities and current work items. Priorities can be assigned to teams and displayed on the calendar for visibility.
Sprint Planning Built-in sprint tracking functionality for agile teams. Sprints are integrated into the calendar view for easy planning and visibility.
Multi-Tenant Architecture The application supports multiple companies with isolated data. Each company has its own users, teams, PTO records, releases, and priorities.
User Management Admin-controlled user creation with email-based authentication. Admins can create users and send login credentials via email, with password reset functionality built in.
Technical Implementation
Tech Stack:
- Framework: Next.js 14 with App Router
- Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM
- Authentication: NextAuth.js with email/password
- Styling: Tailwind CSS
- Type Safety: Full TypeScript implementation
- UI Components: Radix UI for accessible component primitives
Architecture Decisions:
The application uses a multi-tenant architecture with company-level data isolation. Each company has its own slug-based subdomain routing ([companySlug]), enabling future expansion to a SaaS model while maintaining data separation.
Database Schema:
- Company: Multi-tenant organization container
- User: Team members with role-based access (ADMIN/USER)
- PTORecord: PTO requests with approval workflow
- Release: Production release dates and metadata
- Priority: Team priorities and current work items
- Team: Team structure with leads and co-leads
- Sprint: Sprint planning and tracking
Key Technical Features:
- Server-side rendering: Next.js App Router for optimal performance
- Type-safe database queries: Prisma ORM with full TypeScript support
- Email integration: Resend API for transactional emails (login credentials, password resets)
- Dark mode: Modern dark theme by default with theme toggle support
- Responsive design: Mobile-friendly interface built with Tailwind CSS
Current Status
dev-cal.app is currently in closed beta with a select group of teams. The application is being refined based on real-world usage, with plans to open up access soon. The focus during beta has been on stability, performance, and ensuring the core features meet developer team needs.
Design Philosophy
The application was built with a “less is more” philosophy. Rather than competing with enterprise project management tools, dev-cal.app focuses on being a lightweight calendar that handles the essentials well. The interface is clean, fast, and purpose-built for development teams who need visibility into PTO, releases, sprints, and priorities without the overhead of complex project management workflows.
Built with Next.js, TypeScript, Prisma, and Tailwind CSS. Currently in closed beta, opening soon.