TaskFlow: Modern Task Management with ASP.NET Core and SignalR

Project Overview

TaskFlow is a comprehensive task management web application built with ASP.NET Core MVC that brings modern collaboration features to project management. The application focuses on real-time communication, intelligent notifications, and comprehensive analytics to help teams stay productive and organized.

Core Architecture

The application is built using a modern .NET stack that emphasizes performance, scalability, and maintainability:

Technology Stack

• ASP.NET Core MVC (.NET 9.0) - Modern web framework with excellent performance
• Entity Framework Core - ORM with SQL Server for data persistence
• SignalR - Real-time web functionality for live notifications
• ASP.NET Core Identity - Comprehensive authentication and authorization
• Background Services - Automated task reminders and notifications
• Serilog - Structured logging for monitoring and debugging

Key Features Deep Dive

Real-Time Notifications with SignalR

One of TaskFlow's standout features is its real-time notification system. Using SignalR, users receive instant updates without page refreshes:

// NotificationHub.cs
public class NotificationHub : Hub
{
    public async Task JoinUserGroup(string userId)
    {
        await Groups.AddToGroupAsync(Context.ConnectionId, $"User_{userId}");
    }

    public async Task SendNotificationToUser(string userId, object notification)
    {
        await Clients.Group($"User_{userId}")
            .SendAsync("ReceiveNotification", notification);
    }
}

Smart @Mentions System

The comment system includes intelligent @mentions that automatically notify users when they're referenced:

// Comment processing with @mentions
public async Task ProcessComment(string content, int taskId)
{
    var mentions = ExtractMentions(content); // Find @user@example.com patterns
    
    foreach (var mention in mentions)
    {
        var user = await _userManager.FindByEmailAsync(mention);
        if (user != null)
        {
            await _notificationService.CreateMentionNotification(user.Id, taskId);
            await _hubContext.Clients.Group($"User_{user.Id}")
                .SendAsync("ReceiveNotification", notification);
        }
    }
}

Automated Due Date Reminders

A background service continuously monitors tasks and sends timely reminders:

// Background service for due date monitoring
public class DueDateReminderService : BackgroundService
{
    protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
    {
        while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested)
        {
            await CheckDueDates();
            await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromHours(1), stoppingToken);
        }
    }

    private async Task CheckDueDates()
    {
        var dueTasks = await _context.Tasks
            .Where(t => t.DueDate.Date == DateTime.Today && !t.IsCompleted)
            .Include(t => t.AssignedUser)
            .ToListAsync();

        foreach (var task in dueTasks)
        {
            await _notificationService.CreateDueReminderNotification(task);
        }
    }
}

Advanced Task Management Features

Progress Synchronization

TaskFlow maintains consistency between completion status and progress percentage through intelligent synchronization:

// Automatic progress synchronization
public void UpdateTaskProgress(Task task, int progressPercentage)
{
    task.Progress = progressPercentage;
    
    // Auto-complete when progress reaches 100%
    if (progressPercentage >= 100 && !task.IsCompleted)
    {
        task.IsCompleted = true;
        task.CompletedDate = DateTime.UtcNow;
    }
    // Reopen task if progress drops below 100%
    else if (progressPercentage < 100 && task.IsCompleted)
    {
        task.IsCompleted = false;
        task.CompletedDate = null;
    }
}

Calendar Integration

The calendar feature provides multiple views and intelligent task creation:

• Month View - Overview of all tasks with color-coded priorities
• Week View - Detailed weekly planning with drag-and-drop
• Quick Add - Click any date to instantly create tasks
• Smart Filtering - Filter by status, priority, category, and assignee

Comprehensive Analytics Dashboard

The analytics system provides actionable insights into team productivity:

• Completion Rates - Track team and individual performance
• Priority Breakdown - Understand workload distribution
• Category Analysis - Identify bottlenecks by task type
• Weekly Trends - Monitor productivity patterns
• Recent Activity - Real-time team activity feed
• Productivity Tips - AI-generated recommendations

Data Management & Import/Export

CSV Integration

TaskFlow supports seamless data exchange through CSV import/export functionality:

// CSV Export with comprehensive data
public async Task<byte[]> ExportTasksToCsv(string userId)
{
    var tasks = await _context.Tasks
        .Where(t => t.CreatedById == userId)
        .Include(t => t.Category)
        .Include(t => t.AssignedUser)
        .Select(t => new TaskExportDto
        {
            Title = t.Title,
            Description = t.Description,
            Priority = t.Priority.ToString(),
            Status = t.IsCompleted ? "Completed" : "In Progress",
            Category = t.Category.Name,
            AssignedTo = t.AssignedUser?.Email,
            DueDate = t.DueDate.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"),
            Progress = t.Progress,
            CreatedDate = t.CreatedDate.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm")
        })
        .ToListAsync();

    return GenerateCsvBytes(tasks);
}

Bulk Operations

Efficient bulk operations allow users to manage multiple tasks simultaneously:

• Multi-select UI - Checkbox selection across pages
• Bulk Delete - Remove multiple tasks with confirmation
• Batch Updates - Change status, priority, or assignee for multiple tasks
• Category Migration - Move tasks between categories efficiently

Security & Authentication

ASP.NET Core Identity Integration

TaskFlow leverages ASP.NET Core Identity for comprehensive user management:

// Custom user registration with profile setup
public async Task<IActionResult> Register(RegisterViewModel model)
{
    if (ModelState.IsValid)
    {
        var user = new ApplicationUser 
        { 
            UserName = model.Email, 
            Email = model.Email,
            FirstName = model.FirstName,
            LastName = model.LastName,
            JoinDate = DateTime.UtcNow
        };

        var result = await _userManager.CreateAsync(user, model.Password);
        
        if (result.Succeeded)
        {
            await _signInManager.SignInAsync(user, isPersistent: false);
            await _notificationService.SendWelcomeNotification(user.Id);
            return RedirectToAction("Index", "Dashboard");
        }
    }
    return View(model);
}

Authorization & Data Security

• Role-based Access - Different permissions for team members
• Data Isolation - Users only see their assigned or created tasks
• Secure API Endpoints - All endpoints require authentication
• CSRF Protection - Built-in protection against cross-site attacks

Performance Optimizations

Efficient Database Queries

TaskFlow uses optimized Entity Framework queries to ensure fast response times:

// Optimized task loading with selective includes
public async Task<IEnumerable<TaskViewModel>> GetUserTasksAsync(string userId)
{
    return await _context.Tasks
        .Where(t => t.AssignedUserId == userId || t.CreatedById == userId)
        .Include(t => t.Category)
        .Include(t => t.AssignedUser)
        .Include(t => t.Comments.OrderByDescending(c => c.CreatedDate).Take(3))
        .ThenInclude(c => c.User)
        .Select(t => new TaskViewModel
        {
            // Map only required properties
            Id = t.Id,
            Title = t.Title,
            Priority = t.Priority,
            DueDate = t.DueDate,
            Progress = t.Progress,
            CategoryName = t.Category.Name,
            AssignedUserName = t.AssignedUser.FirstName + " " + t.AssignedUser.LastName,
            RecentComments = t.Comments.Take(3).ToList()
        })
        .ToListAsync();
}

Caching Strategy

• Memory Caching - Cache frequently accessed data like categories
• Response Caching - Cache static content and analytics data
• Database Connection Pooling - Efficient database connection management

Monitoring & Logging

Structured Logging with Serilog

Comprehensive logging helps with debugging and monitoring:

// Structured logging configuration
Log.Logger = new LoggerConfiguration()
    .MinimumLevel.Information()
    .MinimumLevel.Override("Microsoft", LogEventLevel.Warning)
    .Enrich.FromLogContext()
    .WriteTo.Console()
    .WriteTo.File("TaskFlow/logs/app-.log", 
        rollingInterval: RollingInterval.Day,
        retainedFileCountLimit: 30)
    .CreateLogger();

// Usage in controllers
_logger.LogInformation("Task {TaskId} assigned to user {UserId} by {AssignerId}", 
    taskId, assigneeId, currentUserId);

Challenges & Solutions

Real-Time Performance

Challenge: Maintaining real-time performance with multiple concurrent users.

Solution: Implemented efficient SignalR groups and optimized database queries to minimize latency.

Notification Overload

Challenge: Users receiving too many notifications, leading to notification fatigue.

Solution: Added intelligent notification batching and user preference controls for notification types.

Data Consistency

Challenge: Ensuring data consistency between task progress and completion status.

Solution: Implemented automatic synchronization logic and validation rules at the model level.

Future Enhancements

Planned Features

• Mobile App - Native iOS and Android applications
• Advanced Analytics - Machine learning-powered productivity insights
• Integration APIs - Connect with popular tools like Slack, Teams, and Jira
• Time Tracking - Built-in time tracking with reporting
• File Attachments - Attach documents and images to tasks
• Gantt Charts - Visual project timeline management

Technical Improvements

• Microservices Architecture - Split into smaller, focused services
• Redis Caching - Distributed caching for better scalability
• Docker Containerization - Easier deployment and scaling
• API Rate Limiting - Protect against abuse and ensure fair usage

Key Learnings

Real-Time Development

• Connection Management - Proper handling of SignalR connections and groups
• State Synchronization - Keeping client and server state in sync
• Error Handling - Graceful degradation when real-time features fail

User Experience

• Progressive Enhancement - Core functionality works without JavaScript
• Responsive Design - Consistent experience across all devices
• Accessibility - Proper ARIA labels and keyboard navigation

Conclusion

TaskFlow demonstrates how modern .NET technologies can be combined to create powerful, real-time web applications. The integration of SignalR for live updates, background services for automation, and comprehensive analytics creates a task management experience that goes beyond simple to-do lists.

The project showcases the maturity of the .NET ecosystem and how ASP.NET Core MVC remains a solid choice for building feature-rich web applications. The real-time capabilities, combined with robust authentication and comprehensive logging, make TaskFlow a production-ready solution for team collaboration.