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https://github.com/naggie/dstask

Git powered terminal-based todo/note manager -- markdown note page per task. Single binary!
https://github.com/naggie/dstask

bash cli command-line git gtd notes notes-app notes-management-system notes-tool sync task taskwarrior terminal terminal-based todo zsh

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Git powered terminal-based todo/note manager -- markdown note page per task. Single binary!

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dstask





Single binary terminal-based TODO manager with git-based sync + markdown notes per task





























Dstask is a personal task tracker designed to help you focus. It is similar to

[Taskwarrior](https://taskwarrior.org/) but uses git to synchronise instead of

a special protocol.



Features:





    Packaging status




 * Powerful context system (automatically applies filter/tags to queries and new tasks)

 * **Git powered sync**/undo/resolve ([passwordstore.org](https://www.passwordstore.org/) style) which means no need to set up a sync server, and syncing between devices is easy!

 * Task listing won't break with long task text ([unlike taskwarrior, currently](https://github.com/GothenburgBitFactory/taskwarrior/issues/2023))

 * `note` command -- edit a **full markdown note** for each task. **Checklists are useful here.**

 * `open` command -- **open URLs found in specified task** (including notes) in the browser

 * zsh/bash completion (including tags and projects in current context) for speed

 * A single statically-linked binary

 * [import tool](doc/dstask-import.md) which can import GitHub issues or taskwarrior tasks.



Non-features:



 * Collaboration. This is a personal task tracker. Use another system for

   projects that involve multiple people. Note that it can still be beneficial

   to use dstask to track what you are working on in the context of a

   multi-person project tracked elsewhere.



Requirements:



* Git

* A 256-color capable terminal



# Screenshots



    

        

            

                


                    

                    Next command (default when no command is specified)

                


            

            

                


                    

                    Show-resolved command to review completed tasks by week. Useful for meetings.

                


            

            

                


                    

                    Editing a task with $EDITOR (which happens to be vim)

                


            

        

        

            

                


                    

                    Adding a task

                


            

            

                


                    

                    Sync command (which uses git)

                


            

             

        

    



# Installation



1. Copy the executable (from the [releases page][releases]) to somewhere in your path, named `dstask` and mark it executable. `/usr/local/bin/` is suggested.

1. Enable bash completions by copying `source <(dstask bash-completion)` into your `.bashrc`. There's also a `zsh-completion` subcommand.

1. Set up an alias in your `.bashrc`: `alias task=dstask` or `alias t=dstask` to make task management slightly faster.

1. Create or clone a ~/.dstask git repository for the data, if you haven't already: `mkdir ~/.dstask && git -C ~/.dstask init`.



There are also unofficial packages for:

* [Nix](https://nixos.org/nixos/packages.html?attr=dstask&channel=nixpkgs-unstable&query=dstask)

* [Arch (AUR)](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/dstask/)

* [FreeBSD](https://www.freshports.org/deskutils/dstask/)

* [Homebrew](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dstask)



# Moving from Taskwarrior



We have a [migration guide](doc/taskwarrior-migration.md) to make the transition from taskwarrior to dstask a simple process.



# Future of dstask



See [etc/FUTURE.md](etc/FUTURE.md)



# Usage



```

Usage: dstask [id...]  [task summary/filter]



Where [task summary] is text with tags/project/priority specified. Tags are

specified with + (or - for filtering) eg: +work. The project is specified with

a project:g prefix eg: project:dstask -- no quotes. Priorities run from P3

(low), P2 (default) to P1 (high) and P0 (critical). Text can also be specified

for a substring search of description and notes.



Cmd and IDs can be swapped, multiple IDs can be specified for batch

operations.



run "dstask help " for command specific help.



Add -- to ignore the current context. / can be used when adding tasks to note

any words after.



Available commands:



next              : Show most important tasks (priority, creation date -- truncated and default)

add               : Add a task

template          : Add a task template

log               : Log a task (already resolved)

start             : Change task status to active

note              : Append to or edit note for a task

stop              : Change task status to pending

done              : Resolve a task

context           : Set global context for task list and new tasks (use "none" to set no context)

modify            : Set attributes for a task

edit              : Edit task with text editor

undo              : Undo last action with git revert

sync              : Pull then push to git repository, automatic merge commit.

open              : Open all URLs found in summary/annotations

git               : Pass a command to git in the repository. Used for push/pull.

remove            : Remove a task (use to remove tasks added by mistake)

show-projects     : List projects with completion status

show-tags         : List tags in use

show-active       : Show tasks that have been started

show-paused       : Show tasks that have been started then stopped

show-open         : Show all non-resolved tasks (without truncation)

show-resolved     : Show resolved tasks

show-templates    : Show task templates

show-unorganised  : Show untagged tasks with no projects (global context)

bash-completion   : Print bash completion script to stdout

zsh-completion    : Print zsh completion script to stdout

help              : Get help on any command or show this message

version           : Show dstask version information

```



# Syntax



## Priority



| Symbol | Name      | Note                                                                 |

|--------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|

| `P0`   | Critical  | Must be resolved immediately. May appear in all contexts in future.  |

| `P1`   | High      |                                                                      |

| `P2`   | Normal    | Default priority                                                     |

| `P3`   | Low       | Shown at bottom and faded.                                           |



## Operators



| Symbol      | Syntax               | Description                                          | Example                                       |

|-------------|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|

| `+`         | `+`             | Include tag. Filter/context, or when adding task.    | `dstask add fix server +work`                 |

| `-`         | `-`             | Exclude tag. Filter/context only.                    | `dstask next -feature`                        |

| `--`        | `--`                 | Ignore context. When listing or adding tasks.        | `dstask --`, `task add -- +home do guttering` |

| `/`         | `/`                  | When adding a task, everything after will be a note. | `dstask add check out ipfs / https://ipfs.io` |

| `project:`  | `project:`  | Set project. Filter/context, or when adding task.    | `dstask context project:dstask`               |

| `-project:` | `-project:` | Exclude project, filter/context only.                | `dstask next -project:dstask -work`           |

| `template:` | `template:`      | Base new task on a template.                         | `dstask add template:24`                      |



## State



| State    | Description                                   |

|----------| ----------------------------------------------|

| Pending  | Tasks that have never been started            |

| Active   | Tasks that have been started                  |

| Paused   | Tasks that have been started but then stopped |

| Resolved | Tasks that have been done/close/completed     |



# Contexts



When dstask runs, a context can be set to filter the task output. Run `dstask help context`

for more examples. There are two ways to set a context.



1. The `context` command, which sets a global context on disk.

1. The `DSTASK_CONTEXT` environment variable. Contexts set by this environment

   variable override the global context on disk.



Use the `context` to set a context that will apply by default, no matter what

terminal window you're using.



Use the `DSTASK_CONTEXT` environment variable to override context in specific

uses. For instance, a [direnv](https://direnv.net/) config can set a context for

particular directories.



Context is not synchronised between machines.



# Dealing with merge conflicts



Dstask is written in such a way that merge conflicts should not happen, unless

a task is edited independently on 2 or more machines without synchronising. In

practice this happens rarely; however when it does happen dstask will fail to

commit and warn you. You'll then need to go to the underlying `~/.dstask` git

repository and resolve manually before committing and running `dstask sync`. In

some rare cases the ID can conflict. This is something dstask will soon be

equipped to handle automatically when the `sync` command runs.



# Performance



See [etc/PERFORMANCE.md](etc/PERFORMANCE.md)



# General tips



* Overwhelmed by tasks? Try focussing by prioritising (set priorities) or narrowing the context. The `show-tags` and `show-projects` commands are useful for creating a context.

* Use dstask to track things you might forget, rather than everything. SNR is important. Don't track tasks for the sake of it, and don't track _ideas_. Track ideas separately.

* Spend regular time reviewing tasks. You'll probably find some you've already resolved, and many you've forgotten. The `show-unorganised` command is good for this.

* Try to work through tasks from the top of the list. Dstask sorts by priority then creation date -- the most important tasks are at the top.

* Use `start`/`stop` to mark what you're genuinely working on right now; it makes resuming work faster. Paused tasks will be slightly highlighted, so you won't lose track of them. `show-paused` helps if they start to pile up.

* Keep a [github-style check list](https://help.github.com/en/articles/about-task-lists) in the markdown note of complex or procedural tasks

* Failing to get started working? Start with the smallest task

* Record only required tasks. Track ideas separately, else your task list will grow unboundedly! I keep an `ideas.md` for various projects for this reason.

* set `DSTASK_CONTEXT` in a `.envrc` per-project repository. With direnv, this allows you to automatically switch context



# Database



See [etc/DATABASE_FORMAT.md](etc/DATABASE_FORMAT.md)



The default database location is `~/.dstask/`, but can be configured by the

environment variable `DSTASK_GIT_REPO`.



# Alternatives



Alternatives listed must be capable of running in the terminal.



* [TaskLite](https://github.com/ad-si/TaskLite) -- The CLI task manager for power users, written in Haskell

* [Taskwarrior](https://taskwarrior.org/) -- the closest analogue

* [Taskbook](https://github.com/klaussinani/taskbook) -- board metaphor, note support

* [todo.txt-cli](https://github.com/todotxt/todo.txt-cli)

* [etm](https://github.com/dagraham/etm-dgraham) -- event and task manager

* [t](https://github.com/sjl/t) -- a minimal todo list with an amusing philosophy



# FAQ



> Does dstask encrypt tasks?



Encryption is not a design goal of dstask. If you want to have your remote

repository encrypted, you may consider

[git-remote-gcrypt](https://spwhitton.name/tech/code/git-remote-gcrypt/) or

[git-crypt](https://github.com/AGWA/git-crypt). Note that dstask has not been

tested with these tools, nor can any claims be made about the security of the

tools themselves.



> Is it possible to modify more than one task at once with a filter?



Yes.



1. Set a context:

2. Run a modify command without and ID

3. Hit y to confirm to modify all tasks in context



This means it's natural to review the tasks that would be modified before

modifying by listing all tasks in the current context first, instead of

potentially operating blindly by matching tags or numbers.



You can also specify multiple task numbers at one time, as with any other command.



> Is there a GUI or web interface?



Not as part of dstask itself. However, dstask can be used as a library -- @botto

has started developing a web GUI, specifically to allow task management on-the-go

via a smartphone: https://github.com/botto/dstask-gui . It's in early stages but

is meaningful as having no smartphone-based control is a blocker for a lot of people.



> Has dstask been featured in a magazine?



Yes!   :-)



[releases]: https://github.com/naggie/dstask/releases