What is Todo.Txt and how to use it?

Have you ever written down a list of things to do or buy? Things have changed over time, and paper and pen lists have paved the way for modern alternatives like to-do apps and services like Todoist, To-Do.

There is a simpler alternative; Todo.Txt, as the name suggests, is a text based file system which you can use for managing your tasks.

It uses plain text format to save the data; while it is theoretically possible to use any plain text editor for that, e.g. Notepad or Notepad++ on Windows, it is the extra features that to-do applications offer that make them more suitable for the task. Todo.Txt supports markup among other things.

Why should you use Todo.Txt?

Todo.txt is a free application that doesn't rely on any online services.The application is available for various desktop and mobile operating systems; just download the version that you want to use from the project website to get started; you don't have to register for an account or pay for one just to create a to-do list.

You can sync the to-do lists that you create between devices, e.g. phone, tablet or computer, to access it on any device. The application uses Dropbox storage for that.

How to use Todo.Txt?

You can use ToDo.Txt for a wide variety of purposes, e.g. to act as a reminder. Examples include using it to create shopping lists, travel checklists, keeping track of homework assignments or books you read or plan to read, and more.

There are a few basic rules you need to know about while creating a Todo.Txt list: Priority, Context and Project. These are explained rather well on the official GitHub but I'll try to make it simpler.

Let's write a sample Todo.Txt for that.

(A) Call Mom @phone
(B) Write a post about ToDo.Txt +gHacks
Organize the bookshelf @Home
Clean up the garden @Home
x 2019-08-21 @GroceryStore Get some milk

That may look confusing to you, allow me to explain.

Priority

You can assign priorities to your lists by placing uppercase letters in parentheses in front of entries. Pick any letter between A (highest priority) and Z (lowest priority) to assign it to a task. Tasks without priority are regular tasks and less emphasized.

(A) Call Mom @phone

Context

The @ tag is used to denote the context of a task. For e.g. In the task "To call mom", you would need to use a phone hence the @phone tag.

(A) Call Mom @phone

Project

The + tag is used for a project. In my examples, there are 2 context tags (Phone and Home),  and one project tag (+gHacks).

(B) Write a post about ToDo.Txt +gHacks

Todo.Txt cheat sheet

• Priority - (A), (B), (C)......(Z)
• Context - @contextname
• Project - +projectname
• Completed tasks - x followed by date

Other rules

The lowercase x is used to mark completed task. For e.g. if you were using a pen and paper list, you may cross out completed tasks, or place a check mark next to them. Todo.Txt uses the x for the same purpose. The date next to the x is the completion date, i.e., when you completed the task; due dates can be added to the end of a  task in the due:YYYY-MM-DD format.

I could add a task like (B) Write a post about ToDo.Txt +gHacks due:2019-08-21.

However, since I have used a priority tag, the due date is sort of not necessary.

Why are Tags used?

The syntax that the application supports is not mandatory. You can use TodoTxt without tags if you want and that may work fine for some users, especially if there are not any priorities in a list. The supported syntax gives you more control over the content, especially since you may use them in searches.  For instance, a search for @phone will highlight all items that uses the tag.

Todo.Txt apps allow you to sort the list in different ways,

• By priority
• By project
• By context
• By completion date

Can I use a context and project tag in the same task? Of course, it's up to you, it's your list. Write it any way you want it to be.

Note: Plain text isn't secure, so you should never use it for storing secure information.

Closing Words

There are many Todo.Txt applications available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android that support core list creating functionality and often more than that. There are apps that support markdown, online syncing, sharing with others, and more and it is up to you to find the right application that suits you best. I'd advise using an open-source app which works offline as it means that you stay in full control of your data. You can always sync the text using Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.

I was a happy Wunderlist user until Microsoft stopped supporting the desktop application to focus on the To-Do app.  I switched to different to-do/note apps (ColorNote, Simple Note, OneNote, etc) before eventually settling with Todo.Txt, because it was simpler and cross-platform. I currently use Markor on Android, TodoTxt.Net on Windows and sync my Todo.Txt using Dropbox.

Now you: which to-do app do you use?

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