Python To-Do List Tutorial: Save Your Tasks With JSON

Build a practical Python task tracker that remembers tasks after you close the program. Add tasks, list them, mark them complete, and save everything in a readable JSON file. You’ll learn lists of dictionaries, JSON loading and saving, pathlib, enumerate, input validation, copying task dictionaries, and specific exception handling. We’ll run the app, restart it, and check invalid input. Prerequisites: Python 3.10 or newer, VS Code, and basic familiarity with functions, loops, input, and exceptions. No external packages required. Run the companion task_tracker.py file with: python task_tracker.py On systems where Python is named python3, use python3 task_tracker.py. The program creates tasks.json beside the script. This is a single-user learning project with direct file writes, not crash-safe or concurrent storage. Use a practice folder and keep backups of anything important. CHAPTERS 0:00 Tasks that survive a restart 0:32 Start with a working menu 1:09 Model one task, then a list 1:46 Load saved tasks 2:24 Check the shape of loaded data 3:04 Save and display the list 3:43 Connect startup and the menu 4:22 Add a task without empty titles 5:00 Complete a numbered task 5:38 Save first, then accept the change 6:13 Run the complete program 6:49 Test the mistakes, not just success Related lesson: our full interactive terminal calculator tutorial. Related Short: EP19 — list aliasing versus .copy(). This project shows why copying only the outer list still shares the dictionaries inside it. #Python #PythonForBeginners #PythonProjects #python #coding #pythonprogramming #shortvideo #ai #learnpython