How Glide works
Glide is built around three things: Tasks, Routines, and Goals. They're designed to work together — but you can start with just one.
The three building blocks
Tasks are single, concrete actions you need to take. They're the smallest unit in Glide. A task is something you can complete in one sitting: send an email, make a call, pick up a prescription. If you only use Glide to manage your tasks, you'll already find it very useful.
Routines are repeating structures you move through on a regular schedule — usually daily. A routine isn't a to-do list. It's a rhythm. It might include things to do, measurements to log, or questions to reflect on. Once you've built a routine, it shows up ready to complete every day. Routines help you move beyond tasks to build good habits.
Goals are meaningful outcomes you're working toward, with a timeline. A goal gives your tasks and routines direction. It's the answer to "why am I doing this every day?"
How they connect
Tasks are the basic unit — they tell you what to do and when.
Routines build on tasks by adding recurrence and two new concepts: metrics (numbers you record each day) and journal prompts (questions you answer as part of the routine). This is where habits stop being checklists and start generating data.
Goals sit on top of both — they give your routines and tasks direction, and let you measure progress toward something meaningful over time.
You don't need all three at once. Tasks alone are useful. Routines turn tasks into habits. Goals give habits meaning.
Focus Timer
When it's time to actually do something, the Focus Timer helps you start and stay present. Set a timer (optionally directly from a task) and work in a distraction-free mode until it's done. It's a simple Pomodoro-style tool — no frills, just a way to make starting easier.
Sync
Glide can sync your data across devices using your own cloud storage (currently Google Drive). Everything is encrypted on your device before it's uploaded, in a form that only you can decrypt.
Sync is optional. If you only use one device, you don't need it. Set it up in Profile → Sync when you're ready. See Sync for details on how your data is kept safe and private.
What Glide doesn't do — and why
Glide has no subtasks, no nested projects, no tags, no complex filters. This isn't an oversight. It's a decision.
The constraint is the feature. A simpler system that you actually use will always beat a complex one that you abandon.
Every layer of complexity you add to a productivity system is something your brain has to manage. For people who struggle with overwhelm, that cognitive load is the enemy. Glide stays simple on purpose: tasks for actions, routines for habits, goals for direction. If something doesn't fit cleanly into one of those, that's often a sign it needs to be broken down — not that the app needs another feature.