Notely

Tasks & Checklists ​

Notely turns standard Markdown checklist checkboxes into a workspace-wide task management system. Tasks written inside any note automatically sync in real-time with a SQLite task database, providing bi-directional status updates, detail management, and workspace-wide task views.

1. Creating Tasks in Notes ​

Create tasks inside any note using standard Markdown checklist syntax:

markdown
- [ ] Open task
- [x] Completed task
1. [ ] Numbered list task
- [ ] High priority task #work @alex

Supported Formats ​

  • Bullet Lists: - [ ], * [ ], + [ ]
  • Numbered Lists: 1. [ ], 2. [ ]
  • Standalone Paragraph Tasks: [ ] Standalone task

2. Interactive Preview Toggling & Task Modal ​

When viewing notes in Preview Mode or Split View:

  • Click to Toggle: Clicking the [ ] checkbox directly toggles its status between Open ([ ]) and Completed ([x]).
  • Interactive Task Modal: Clicking the task text opens the Task Detail Modal where you can manage extended task attributes:
    • Status: Toggle between Open, In Progress, and Completed.
    • Priority: Set priority levels (Low, Medium, High, Urgent).
    • Due Date & Scheduling: Assign due dates, start/end times, and all-day flags.
    • Assignees & Tags: Tag team members or add custom categories.
    • Comments: Add discussion threads to individual tasks.
    • Note Source Link: Jump directly to the exact line number in the source note.

3. Bi-Directional Markdown Synchronization ​

Task statuses update bi-directionally between your Markdown files and the Task Workspace:

+------------------+         Real-Time IPC         +-------------------+
|  Markdown Note   |  <=========================>  | SQLite Task DB &  |
| (- [x] Task 1)   |   Pre-Save Buffer Sync    | Task Workspace UI |
+------------------+                               +-------------------+
  • Markdown → Task DB: Edits inside the text editor automatically sync to the task database whenever the note is saved.
  • Task DB → Markdown: Updating task status from the Task Workspace or Task Detail Modal writes - [x] or - [ ] directly back into the .md file.
  • Buffer Safety: Active unsaved editor changes are committed to disk before task updates execute, preventing data loss, file watcher hash mismatches, or disk conflict warnings.

4. Smart Alignment & Deduplication Engine ​

Notely uses a 4-pass alignment algorithm to maintain task identity across note refactoring and line shifts:

  1. Pass 1: Exact Hash Match: Matches SHA1(filePath + title + occurrenceIndex).
  2. Pass 2: Line Number Match: Preserves task identity when task titles are edited on the same line index.
  3. Pass 3: Fuzzy Similarity Match: Uses Jaccard word similarity (>0.35 threshold) to track tasks when lines move and title text is tweaked simultaneously.
  4. Pass 4: Orphan Purging: Auto-removes database records when tasks are permanently deleted from a Markdown file.

5. Note-Level Task Bar & Workspace Dashboard ​

Note-Level Task Summary ​

When editing any note, the top header displays a live task completion progress indicator (e.g. 2/5 tasks). Clicking this indicator opens the Task Summary Popover, listing all open and completed tasks for that note with direct line-jump buttons.

Workspace Task Page ​

Access the full Task Workspace via the left sidebar or Command Palette (Ctrl + Shift + T):

  • Filter by Note: Focus on tasks from the active note or view tasks across all project notes.
  • Status Tabs: Easily switch between All, Open, In Progress, and Completed.
  • Search & Sort: Filter tasks by title, priority, due date, or assignee.