Fix task creation and instant task list updates

backend/controllers/taskController.js

@@ -27,8 +27,15 @@ export const createTask = async (req, res) => {
     }
 
     // fetch details for task from request body
-    const { title, description, tags, priority, status, dueDate } = req.body;
-    if (!title || !priority || !status) {
+    const {
+  title,
+  description,
+  tags,
+  priority,
+  status = "Due",
+  dueDate,
+} = req.body;
+    if (!title || !priority || !dueDate) {
       return res
         .status(400)
         .json({ success: false, message: "Please enter all the details" });

frontend/src/components/Routine/TaskLibrary.jsx

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { useDraggable } from "@dnd-kit/core";
-import useTasks from "../../hooks/useTasks.js";
 import EmptyState from "../EmptyState";
 
 /* ---------------- Draggable Task Item ---------------- */
@@ -59,9 +58,8 @@ function DraggableTask({ task }) {
 }
 
 /* ---------------- Task Library ---------------- */
-export default function TaskLibrary({ onAddTask }) {
-  const { tasks } = useTasks();
-
+export default function TaskLibrary({ tasks, onAddTask }) {
+
   const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
 
   const filteredTasks = tasks?.filter((task) =>

frontend/src/components/Task/TaskFormModal.jsx

@@ -92,13 +92,14 @@ export default function TaskFormModal({ task, onClose, onSubmit, errorMessage, o
       return alert("Due date cannot be more than 1 year in the future");
     }
 
-    onSubmit({
-      title: title.trim(),
-      description: description.trim(),
-      tags,
-      priority,
-      dueDate,
-    });
+   onSubmit({
+  title: title.trim(),
+  description: description.trim(),
+  tags,
+  priority,
+  status: "Due",
+  dueDate,
+});
   };
 
   const toggleCategory = (categoryName) => {

frontend/src/hooks/useTasks.js

@@ -16,19 +16,30 @@ const useTasks = () => {
 
   // create new task
   const addTask = async (taskData) => {
-    try {
-      await api.post("/tasks", taskData);
-      getTasks();
-    } catch (error) {
-      if (error.response?.status === 409) {
-        throw new Error(
-          error.response.data?.message ||
-            "Task with the same title and due date already exists"
-        );
-      }
-      throw error;
-    }
-  };
+  try {
+    const response = await api.post("/tasks", taskData);
+
+    console.log("Task added:", response.data);
+
+    // instantly update UI
+    setTasks((prev) => [response.data.newTask, ...prev]);
+
+  } catch (error) {
+
+    console.log("FULL ERROR:", error);
+
+    console.log(
+      error?.response?.data?.message ||
+      error?.response?.data ||
+      error.message
+    );
+
+    alert(
+      error?.response?.data?.message ||
+      "Failed to create task"
+    );
+  }
+};
 
   // update task
   const updateTask = async (id, updates) => {

frontend/src/pages/RoutineBuilder.jsx

@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
         {/* Main Layout */}
         <div className="grid grid-cols-12 gap-6 animate-in delay-200">
           <aside className="col-span-12 md:col-span-3">
+            <TaskLibrary
+  tasks={tasks}
+  onAddTask={() => setIsModalOpen(true)}
+/>
             {/*
              * TaskLibrary's "Add Task" button opens the modal directly
              * (user is already at the top section of the page, no scroll needed).
@@ -303,4 +307,4 @@ export default function RoutineBuilder() {
       </div>
     </DndContext>
   );
-}
+}